Overview

• Tom Aspinall said the UFC repeatedly gave him imminent dates to face Jon Jones, triggering multiple training camps before the bouts were moved and Jones retired.
• He described the cycle as mentally taxing yet beneficial, crediting the hard camps with accelerating his improvement over the past year.
• Aspinall is now set to defend the heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 on October 25 in Abu Dhabi.
• Jon Jones remains retired after previously declining a lucrative offer, has re-entered the drug testing pool, and has signaled plans to return in 2026 as Dana White resists placing him on the proposed White House card.
• Daniel Cormier argued he does not believe Jones avoided Aspinall and floated a speculative scenario in which a Gane win could open a path for Jones to seek a title shot.