UFC: Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall – why Briton deserves undisputed heavyweight fight in numbers

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Paul Battison

BBC Sport journalist

It be been excellent over a year attributable to the UFC has had an undisputed heavyweight champion.

Following Tom Aspinall’s intervening time title victory last November, reigning champion Jon Jones retained his belt in dominant vogue at UFC 309 to in the break effect his rivalry with fellow American Stipe Miocic to mattress.

Jones, 37, has been largely dismissive of going by Aspinall subsequent – as an alternative concentrating on a bout with Alex Pereira – but has urged he’s willing to “negotiate” a deal to fight the Briton.

UFC president Dana White says a unification bout between the pair will seemingly be the “most interesting heavyweight fight in UFC historical past”.

Aspinall, 31, is the well-liked to fight Jones. So at BBC Sport, we possess appeared at the numbers.

Right here is the case for Aspinall (15-3) to fight Jones (28-1-1NC) and how the pair study statistically.

A aged gentle-heavyweight champion who at 23 grew to turn out to be the youngest title holder in UFC historical past, Jones is widely judicious one of the most critical interesting of all time after a success 28 of his 30 MMA bouts.

His one defeat modified into a disqualification against Matt Hamill in 2009, whereas his discover over Daniel Cormier in 2017 modified into recorded as a no-contest after Jones due to the this reality failed a doping take a look at.

Jones’ argument for no longer searching for to fight Aspinall is the bout “does nothing” for his legacy, including the younger man hasn’t “confirmed or done the relaxation”.

On the opposite hand, statistics demonstrate the Mancunian has produced fabulous figures in precisely nine fights in the UFC.

He for the time being holds a collection of details, including:

Aspinall will seemingly be second in the all-time document books for:

However in all likelihood Aspinall’s most inserting stat is his 93% first-spherical create rate.

He has received an remarkable 14 of 15 occupation victories inner the gap 5 minutes.

Aspinall’s effectivity potential, remarkably, he has below no instances been past the second spherical.

That statistic potential demand marks remain over his patience ranges, though he previously commended BBC Sport that cardio is one of his secret weapons.

With eight first-spherical finishes, Jones has fewer than Aspinall, but has shown time and time yet again his capability to discover a range of numerous stylistic fights.

Whether or no longer it’s dominating with his grappling luxuriate in he did against Ciryl Gane last year or grinding out a resolution luxuriate in his gruelling victory over Alexander Gustafsson in 2013, Jones in most cases works out an answer to discover.

Though Aspinall would no longer retain victories over just a few aged champions and hall-of-famers luxuriate in Jones, he has overwhelmed 5 of the discontinue-eight ranked heavyweights.

By technique of inserting, Aspinall utilises his fearsome knockout energy by largely concentrating on the head, whereas Jones appears to be like to combine up his attacks extra.

Any grappling exchanges between the pair will seemingly be interesting. Aspinall spends 0.09% of this UFC fights in bottom design, the bottom in UFC historical past, whereas Jones is third lowest on the list at 0.19%.

Jones, at 95%, also has the second-best takedown defence in UFC historical past.

Aspinall has a 100% takedown defence but the UFC handiest add it their document books when a fighter has confronted no longer no longer as much as 20 takedowns – something Aspinall is yet to create.

After playing down the probability of fighting Aspinall, Jones described a doable Pereira matchup as a “legacy bout”.

The aged middleweight champion, 37, captured the gentle-heavyweight title in 2023 earlier than making three a success defences this year, all by knockout.

Despite his spectacular make, the Brazilian would no longer top any statistic in the UFC’s all-time document lists, though at 67.2%, he does retain a divisional document for fundamental strike accuracy.

If Jones and Pereira had been to fight at heavyweight, the Brazilian would also possess the chance at turning into the UFC’s first three-division champion.

Despite White’s reservations, Pereira’s popularity with fans and the stakes of the contest – Jones’ undefeated proceed versus Pereira’s are trying at a success three belts – point out or no longer it’s no longer a bout many will seemingly be opposed to.

Aspinall has poked fun at Jones for concentrating on Pereira, suggesting the American is ducking him, whereas Jones has made gentle of the scenario by altering his existing image on social media to a duck wearing a UFC title.

Which matchup would you luxuriate in to peep?

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