Former UFC double champion Daniel Cormier believes the heavyweight league's management should strip Jon Jones of his title in seven months and name Tom Aspinall the regular.
Cormier said on The MMA Hour show:
Tom Aspinall is the guy that is going to lead the heavyweight division for years to come so yes, I believe that he should be the undisputed champ. Hey, look, Jones is the undisputed champion. He earned that in the octagon by beating Ciryl Gane, but if he's only going to fight Stipe and that's not for another, what, eight months, seven months, I think you put Tom Aspinall as the champ and I don't think anybody would bat an eyelid.
On November 12 in the co-main event of UFC 295, Aspinall knocked out Sergei Pavlovich in the first round to become the interim heavyweight champion. Jones was scheduled to make the first defense of his belt at this tournament against Stipe Miocic, but he suffered a pectoral muscle injury shortly before the tournament and withdrew from the fight.
Jones' last fight was against Ciryl Gane in March 2023 at UFC 285. In this confrontation, Jones won by first-round choking submission and won the heavyweight championship belt. He has 27 wins and one loss on his record.