No bias, but Jon Jones is not Tom Aspinall’s GOAT.
In an interview with Jon Bernard Kairouz, Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) explained why former UFC light heavyweight champion and current heavyweight champion Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) cannot be considered the greatest of all time in his opinion.
He picked Georges St-Pierre as No. 1 for one simple reason.
“GSP,” Aspinall answered on who the GOAT is. “He’s never failed for PEDs.”
Prior to his scheduled rematch against Daniel Cormier at UFC 200, Jones received a one-year suspension after he tested positive for hydroxy-clomiphene, “an anti-estrogenic agent” and “letrozole metabolite,” an “aromatase inhibitor.”
Jones’ second win over Daniel Cormier at UFC 214 was overturned to a no contest when he tested positive for the anabolic steroid turinabol, Jones’ sentence was significantly reduced from four years after he provided “substantial assistance” to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. As a result, he received a 15-month sentence. Jones stated he did not knowingly take any prohibited substances and that the substances he consumed were tainted.
A failed drug test arose in Jones’ career a third time when, prior to his UFC 232 rematch with Alexander Gustafsson, he tested positive for the same turinabol metabolites. However, USADA determined they were trace amounts in the form of picograms incapable of giving Jones a competitive advantage.
So where does Jones rank in Aspinall’s standings?
“Second,” Aspinall said. “I think it’d be silly to say that he wasn’t one of the best ever.”
Interim heavyweight champion Aspinall revealed that negotiations for a Jones fight are currently underway. Jones is fresh off a heavyweight title defense against Stipe Miocic this past Saturday in the UFC 309 headliner.
“Yeah, we’re in negotiations right now, is the honest answer,” Aspinall said on his YouTube channel. “We don’t know when the fight is going to be, but I’ll be ready to go whenever. I’m back in the gym now. I’m back in the gym training, as always.
“I’ll be ready to fight when they let me know. Until then, I’ll be improving, I’ll be getting better, so no great rush on that. Obviously, I want to fight as soon as possible. But right now, we’re just waiting for a date. That’s it.”