Former UFC champion Leon Edwards has no hesitation to say that a prime version of Jon Jones would beat Tom Aspinall.
Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) opted to relinquish his UFC heavyweight title and retire instead of unify. As a result, Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) has been promoted to undisputed UFC heavyweight champion and won’t get his long-awaited title unification bout with Jones – for now.
The likes of Daniel Cormier accused Jones of quitting, but Edwards doesn’t think the all-time great was ducking Aspinall.
“I don’t know, I feel like Jon Jones, he is the GOAT of mixed martial arts,” Edwards said in an interview with Carl Froch. “You can’t argue it, and he’s been through generations of fighters, fought many generations. If he wants to bow out as world champion, he’s done his part. So, fair play. … I feel like Tom’s got a lot of career ahead of him, as well. You don’t need the Jon Jones fight. It would have been good, but I feel like he’s got a bright future ahead of him either way.”
While Edwards acknowledges that Aspinall’s speed could have posed problems for 37-year-old Jones, he has no doubt that a prime version of Jones would win the fight.
“Prime, I’d go with Jon Jones for sure,” Edwards said. “Yeah, 100 percent. I rate Jon Jones highly. I believe that he’s the best to ever do it, and Tom, he is the guy now.”
