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It’s been a little over a year since the UFC had an undisputed heavyweight champion.
Following Tom Aspinall’s interim victory last November, reigning champion Jon Jones retained his belt in dominant fashion at UFC 309 to finally end his rivalry with fellow American Stipe Miocic.
Jones, 37, was largely dismissive of facing Aspinall next – instead targeting a fight with Alex Pereira – but suggested he was willing to “negotiate” a deal to fight the Briton.
UFC president Dana White said a unification fight between the two men would be “the biggest heavyweight fight in UFC history.”
Aspinall, 31, is the favorite to fight Jones. So at BBC Sport we’ve looked at the numbers.
Here’s the case for Aspinall (15-3) vs. Jones (28-1-1NC) and how the pair compares statistically.
Aspinall’s all-time UFC records
A former light heavyweight champion who became the youngest title holder in UFC history at age 23, Jones is widely considered one of the greatest of all time having won 28 of his 30 MMA fights .
His only loss was a disqualification against Matt Hamill in 2009, while his victory against Daniel Cormier in 2017 was recorded as a no contest after Jones subsequently failed a doping test.
Jones’ argument for not wanting to fight Aspinall is that the fight “does nothing” for his legacy, adding that the young man has “proven or done nothing.”
However, statistics show that the Mancunian has produced astonishing numbers in just nine fights in the UFC.
He currently holds several records, including:
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THE shortest fight time UFC history average at 2:02
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THE shortest lower position time in UFC history at 0:01
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THE highest hit differential in UFC history at 5:18
Aspinall is also second in the all-time record books for:
But perhaps Aspinall’s most striking statistic is his First round success rate of 93%.
He has won an extraordinary 14 of 15 career wins in the first five minutes.
How do Jones and Aspinall compare?
Aspinall’s efficiency meant, remarkably, that he never made it past the second round.
The stat means question marks remain over his endurance levels, although he has previously told BBC Sport that cardio is one of his secret weapons.
With eight first-round finishes, Jones has fewer than Aspinall, but has repeatedly shown the ability to win a variety of different stylistic fights.
Whether it’s dominating with his fight like he did against Ciryl Gane last year or taking a decision like his grueling win over Alexander Gustafsson in 2013, Jones usually finds a way to win.
Although Aspinall doesn’t have victories over several former champions and Hall of Famers like Jones, he has beaten five of the top eight heavyweights.
When it comes to striking, Aspinall uses his fearsome knockout power by targeting the head widely, while Jones seems to mix up his attacks more.
Any wrestling exchange between the two men would be fascinating. Aspinall spends 0.09% of these UFC fights in last place, the lowest in UFC history, while Jones is third lowest on the list at 0.19%.
Jones, at 95%, also has the second-highest takedown defense in UFC history.
Aspinall has a 100% takedown defense, but the UFC only adds it to its record book when a fighter has faced a minimum of 20 takedowns – something Aspinall has yet to do.
Aspinall or Pereira?
After downplaying the prospect of fighting Aspinall, Jones described a potential clash with Pereira as a “legacy fight”.
The former middleweight champion, 37, won the light heavyweight title in 2023 before making three successful defenses this year, all by knockout.
Despite his impressive form, the Brazilian does not top any stat in the UFC’s all-time records list, although at 67.2% he does hold a division record for significant striking accuracy .
If Jones and Pereira fought at heavyweight, the Brazilian would also have the opportunity to become the UFC’s first three-division champion.
Despite White’s reservations, Pereira’s popularity with fans and the stakes of the contest – Jones’ unbeaten streak versus Pereira’s bid for three belts – mean it’s not a fight many would object to .
Aspinall mocked Jones for targeting Pereira, suggesting the American dodge him, while Jones made light of the situation by changing his social media photo to a duck carrying a UFC title.
Which match would you like to see?
