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Dana White loses patience with Jon Jones and teases imminent title stripping as Tom Aspinall UFC fight hangs in balance

Dana White loses patience with Jon Jones and teases imminent title stripping as Tom Aspinall UFC fight hangs in balance

The Sun19-06-2025
DANA WHITE has seemingly set Jon Jones a deadline to make a decision on fighting Tom Aspinall.
The UFC brass have been trying to finalise a showdown between their heavyweight king and his interim counterpart since last November.
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White and Co. have even agreed to break their pay structure and give Jones " F**K YOU MONEY" for the mammoth unification bout.
Jones, 37, agreed to the multi-million-pound purse on offer but has publicly toyed with the prospect of retirement.
White is refusing to give up hope of finalising the bout but insists the UFC won't dance to the beat of Jones' drum much longer.
During an appearance on The Jim Rome Show, the 55-year-old said: "We'll see how this thing plays out over the next couple of weeks.
"If we can't get this fight done, we'll move on quickly. We'll have answers in the next couple weeks."
White insists the delay in booking the biggest fight in the history of the UFC's heavyweight division isn't down to Jones being scared of Wigan warrior Aspinall.
The UFC's CEO and President added: "Jon Jones has never, ever said, 'I'm afraid to fight this guy.
"Or, 'I don't like this fight for me,' or any of that stuff. One time, his coach at the time, back in the day.
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"I don't know if he's still with him or whatever. I think it's the only fight we've ever cancelled.
"I had to cancel a show because he wouldn't fight Chael Sonnen, because his coach thought it was a bad idea to take that fight on late notice.
Jon Jones Blasts UFC Rival Tom Aspinall In X-Rated Rant
"But it had nothing to do with Jon Jones.
"Jon Jones has never turned down an opponent here or been afraid to fight anybody."
White, for the last few months, has been bullish with his belief that Jones will sign on the dotted line and face Aspinall in a bout SunSport understands is still targeted for November.
But it became apparent last week that his confidence in booking the dust-up has waned when he admitted: "You can't make people fight.
"If Jon doesn't want to fight, you can't make him fight.
"We can try to make him fight, we can throw things at him that inspire him to want to fight. But we'll figure it out.
Former pound-for-pound king Jones hasn't set foot inside the octagon since defending his heavweight strap in a Madison Square Garden mauling of Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 last November.
Aspinall, meanwhile, has been on the sidelines since defending his interim strap against Curtis Blaydes in just 60 seconds at UFC 304 last July.
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