Sonnen Questions Jones’ Motives for UFC Return

UFC icon Chael Sonnen has voiced concerns about Jon Jones’ potential comeback. Sonnen argues that if Jones is unwilling to face Tom Aspinall, the heavyweight titleholder, then there’s little justification for his return to the octagon.

Jones recently mentioned his training regimen in anticipation of a possible appearance at the UFC event coinciding with the White House celebrations. Despite UFC President Dana White dismissing the likelihood of Jones participating in the event commemorating America’s 250th anniversary, Jones maintains he isn’t retired.

Sonnen, another UFC legend, suggests that Jones’ return lacks purpose if he’s avoiding a showdown with Aspinall.

“If Jon states he’s back without any injury or illness and simply didn’t want to fight Tom Aspinall,” Sonnen commented on a podcast.

“That aspect seems somewhat strange. He’s portraying this as if the retirement never happened, rather than framing it as a true comeback.”

“If it’s a comeback, what’s the motivation? What is he aiming to achieve?”

Speculation regarding a fight between Jones and Aspinall, the former interim champion, has dominated discussions among fans and within the UFC for quite some time.

Both Jones and the UFC faced considerable pressure from fans due to Jones’ reluctance to accept Aspinall’s challenge for a unification bout.

However, on June 21, following an event held in Azerbaijan, UFC CEO Dana White declared Jones’ official retirement, crowning Aspinall as the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion, effectively ending Jones’ era.