Coach Javier Mendez not buying claims that Jon Jones was scared to fight Tom Aspinall
Jones, arguably the greatest MMA fighter of all time, vacated his UFC heavyweight title and retired from the sport last month. Although shortly after, he claimed he'll fight in July 2026 at a proposed UFC event at the White House – after months of being non-committal to unify the UFC heavyweight title with then-interim champion Tom Aspinall. Many fans were disappointed by Jones and criticized him for holding up the heavyweight division for two years, without fighting the rightful challenger, Aspinall.
Mendez, coach of Islam Makahchev and other notable names, is adamant that the end of this saga was due to circumstance and not that Jones was ducking Aspinall.
"A lot of things are made in between negotiations, and you never know what's real and what's not real," Mendez told MMA Junkie. "One thing I do know in my heart in all the years I've been training fighters: Fighters are not afraid of anyone. So when people say, 'Oh, he doesn't want to fight.' OK, then why are you here then? Fighters are fighters. The circumstances may prevent them from taking a fight because maybe there's not the right amount of money, maybe is not this, but it's not the opponent. The timing, money, something that's involved, but it's never I'm afraid of that fighter. Never. I will refuse to believe that any real fighter will always avoid something. I don't think so. I don't believe that."
Makahchev, Mendez's pupil, will attempt what Jones and other few names have done in moving up in weight to claim a second UFC title. He's expected to take on UFC welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena in his next outing. But unlike many of the two-division UFC champions of the past, Makhachev attempts to win the welterweight title after vacating the belt at 155 pounds. He will not get the chance to simultaneously be a two-division UFC champion.
Mendez does think that Jones' heavyweight reign pushed the UFC to force fighters to vacate their belts before challenging for a second one at a different weight.
"I think they don't want that anymore because it holds up the divisions," Mendez said. It stalls them out. I think a great example was the Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall situation. Can you imagine if Jon Jones held two titles and then two divisions are held up for one reason or another."
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Javier Mendez not buying Jon Jones was scared to fight Tom Aspinall
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