"I'm literally just waiting for a date" - Tom Aspinall doubles down on bold Jon Jones retirement claim amid fight delay

Tom Aspinall recently reinstated his last update about his much-anticipated fight with Jon Jones. Aspinall also doubled down on his bold claim related to Jones' retirement.

Aspinall has been calling Jones out for a title unification bout since claiming the UFC interim heavyweight gold at UFC 295. However, Jones avoided his callouts, labeling him an undeserving rival as he continued to vouch for an encounter against Stipe Miocic.

Jones found Aspinall's resume as an unworthy one, even after the British heavyweight's successful title defense against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304. However, Dana White's words about the Jones vs. Aspinall fight at the pre-UFC 309 press conference provided fans with a ray of hope about its materialization.

About a month and a half ago, one of Aspinall's YouTube videos had him revealing that he had accepted the UFC's offer to fight 'Bones'. It clarified that the manifestation of the fight depended on the negotiations between Dana White and Co. and the reigning heavyweight champ.

A recent X update from @ChampRDS showcased Aspinall doubling down on his stance regarding the fight. However, he went a bit deeper into the issue and mentioned that Jones' side was now the only one stalling the negotiations. He said:

"I’ve been on record and said that I want the fight. I’ve been on the phone with the UFC and said I want the fight. When is it happening? What is holding it up right now is his side. That’s the truth of it. The UFC really really wants the fight to happen."

The British heavyweight added:

"Do you remember what I said? Quite a while ago now. I will retire Jon Jones without even fighting him."

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Alex Pereira predicted the outcome of the Tom Aspinall vs. Jon Jones fight

Jon Jones picked Alex Pereira as the preferred rival for his next encounter after UFC 309, continuing to count Tom Aspinall as an undeserving rival. Pereira has also showcased interest in the fight on multiple occasions.

In a recent interview with Bloody Elbow, Pereira also voiced his take on the potential Jones vs. Aspinall fight. The current light heavyweight champion saw the affair ending with a victory for Jones. He said:

"I think Jon Jones will win. I won't be necessarily studying the fight.I'll watch it closely. Obviously, any heavyweight fight is exciting, and you put in Jon Jones and Aspinall. So I think that's a very exciting fight."

Check out Alex Pereira's comments about the Jones vs. Aspinall fight below (08:50):