Jon Jones should vacate title and walk away instead of risking legacy against "young and hungry" Tom Aspinall, says former UFC star who left for PFL

A Former UFC star, now competing in the Professional Fighters League, has urged heavyweight champion Jon Jones to retire rather than risk tarnishing his legacy against British interim champion Tom Aspinall.

Marc Diakiese believes that Jones, whose recent performance against Stipe Miocic solidified his status as one of MMA’s all-time greats, should end his career on a high note rather than face a young and hungry contender.

Jones delivered a dominant third-round knockout of Miocic last November, leaving fans in awe and affirming his place among the sport’s elite. Despite hinting at one final fight, Jones now faces mounting pressure to step aside at his peak.

Aspinall, who last defended his interim title against Curtis Blaydes, has captured significant attention as the sport’s rising heavyweight force, prompting calls for an eventual clash between the two stars.

In an interview with Mirror Fighting, Diakiese warned:

"For me, what Jon Jones has achieved and what he has done, I think he should just walk away. Tom Aspinall is young and fresh, he’s hungry. Jon Jones has done it all. He doesn’t need to be facing guys that are young and hungry at that level"

He stressed that Jones has already battled top-level opponents such as Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson and Lyoto Machida, and therefore need not prove himself further:

"He’s done everything… he’s fought all the top guys you could possibly think of like Rampage (Jackson), Lyoto (Machida), all the top guys. He’s fought them, so he doesn’t need to prove anything, he can just retire. He’s got the heavyweight belt… leave it! If it was me and I was fighting him, I’d make sure I was getting paid big money before I leave."

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Dustin Poirier weighs in on potential Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall fight

Former UFC interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier has called on matchmakers to officially schedule the highly anticipated clash between heavyweight champion Jon Jones and interim titleholder Tom Aspinall.

The potential bout has stirred excitement among MMA fans, eager to witness a showdown between the veteran phenom and the rising star.

In a recent interview with talkSPORT MMA, Poirier stressed that the fans’ demand and the thrilling prospects of this matchup make it a must-have event:

"I think it's going to happen. The fans want it. It's got to happen. I'm going Jones, man. I'm going Jones... It needs to happen."

Check out Dustin Poirier's discuss Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall below (7:10):