Curtis Blaydes is done acknowledging Jon Jones as a champion.
‘Bones’ may very well go down as the longest-reigning titleholder in UFC heavyweight history, but his reign will be remembered for one thing, and one thing only — ducking Tom Aspinall.
It’s been 19 months and counting since Aspinall scored a 69-second KO over Sergei Pavlovich to claim the interim heavyweight crown, and yet we’re no closer to seeing him fight Jones than we were that very night. And now it sounds like the fight will never come to fruition after Jones recently suggested that he’s “done” fighting until he happens to get the itch to do.
Until then, an entire division is in limbo, and Aspinall’s young career is slowly going to waste without ever being an opportunity like the one ‘Bones’ received on March 19, 2011.
Ahead of his return to the Octagon at UFC Baku this weekend, Curtis Blaydes — the first and only fighter to challenge Aspinall for her interim belt thus far — recently vented his frustration over the situation, declaring that he no longer cares about Jon Jones, and neither should the rest of the division.
“I view Jon Jones as retired, unless he proves otherwise,” Blaydes said during Wednesday’s media day in Azerbaijan. “He’s out of sight, out of mind for me. I don’t care what he does. As for the rest of the division, I’m looking to fight someone in the top five after this. I need to beat a ranked opponent if I want a title shot, which is the goal. There are a lot of options—Derrick Lewis, Sergey Spivak, even a rematch. I’d be happy with anyone ranked above me. I’m easy to please.”
Jon Jones may vacate the heavyweight title, but not before securing another record for his resume
A petition to strip Jones of his heavyweight crown currently stands at over 195,000 signatures. And while both ‘Bones’ and UFC CEO Dana White were quick to laugh off the attempt from fans to force their hand, it certainly looks like the belt will be coming off ‘Bones.’ The only question is, when?
Jones will be at day 831 of his heavyweight reign by the end of this week (June 22, 2025) and only 66 days away from breaking Cain Velasquez’s record of 896 days as champion. With that in mind, don’t expect an official announcement until sometime after late August.
That way ‘Bones’ can ride off into the sunset with a record that, deep down, he’ll know he didn’t actually earn.
