"Look what's going on with Michael Chandler" - Tom Aspinall opens up on letting go of Jon Jones fight in favor of building "own legacy"

Jon Jones is still recovering from the torn pectoral muscle and tendon he suffered in preparation for his bout with Stipe Miocic, the original headliner for UFC 295, which took place in Dec. 2023.

The heavyweight title clash was canceled in the wake of Jones' injury, and an interim title fight between Tom Aspinall and Sergei Pavlovich was organized as the co-main event.

Aspinall won the title with a superb first-round knockout, and in the weeks following his victory he called for a clash with either 'Bones' or Miocic, depending on their respective availability.

But after yielding no success with his callouts, the British fighter has now opened up on letting go of a potential clash with Jones. He pointed to Michael Chandler's current position, who has found himself waiting for the eventual return of Conor McGregor.

During a recent interview with Michael Bisping, the interim heavyweight champion said this:

"I want to make my own legacy, man. I'm not gonna wait for something that's not happening forever. Just as an example, look at what's going on with Michael Chandler at the moment. The guy's been waiting forever. I don't want to be, I mean God love Michael Chandler, all respect to him, I've got nothing bad to say about the guy. But I don't want to be like Michael Chandler, just sat on the fence forever."

Watch Tom Aspinall discuss a possible fight with Jon Jones below from 3:55:

---

Tom Aspinall reacts to his viral face-off with Jon Jones

Tom Aspinall and Jon Jones recently crossed paths in a video that has taken the MMA world by storm.

The pair have gone back and forth online following Aspinall's request to face 'Bones', and despite their more heated exchanges on X, they shared a cordial face-to-face at the Arnold's Festival in England. Jones is currently recovering from a torn pectoral muscle and tendon, and his exact return date remains unclear.

After sharing a brief conversation with the undisputed heavyweight champion, Aspinall reflected on his face-to-face exchange with 'Bones', saying:

"That was the first time I've met him. He's nowhere near as big as I thought, I thought he was a lot taller. But I guess when you're fighting light heavyweights your full career, and you're six foot four inches, you look really tall... We're both massive guys, but I'll take that one. I think I beat him definitely."

Watch Tom Aspinall discuss meeting Jon Jones below: