The debate surrounding the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) in the UFC continues to create buzz among fans, with numerous legendary champions competing for the top spot. For many, the title belongs to Jon ‘Bones’ Jones, the dominant heavyweight champion.
As for whether Jones will return to the octagon to challenge interim champion Tom Aspinall in 2025, it remains uncertain. However, Aspinall continues to publicly challenge Jones regarding his GOAT status.
Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Tom Aspinall believes that Jon Jones’s history of failed drug tests effectively disqualifies him from being considered the GOAT. Many fans agree that if Jones had not tested positive multiple times, he would undoubtedly hold the title of the greatest mixed martial artist in history.
Aspinall elaborated on this perspective during an appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored. He acknowledged Jones’s elite status and potential as the greatest but insisted that his drug violations create an ever-present asterisk in the debate.
According to Aspinall, “The way that I look at it, he has failed a couple of drug tests. To me, that rules you out of being the best of all time – for me, personally.” He added, “Yeah, of course it does [make him a cheat]. If you’re on Performance Enhancing Drugs and your opponent isn’t, that’s absolutely cheating in my book – unless you’re both allowed to do it.”
While Aspinall firmly opposes the use of performance-enhancing drugs in active competition, he revealed his intention to use such substances when he retires from MMA.
He stated, “Absolutely not [now but] when I retire I will, yeah, absolutely, to keep my body healthy… Your body stops producing testosterone after a while and to be a healthy older gentleman, I’ll probably do some Testosterone Replacement Therapy.” However, he emphasized that within the realm of mixed martial arts, the use of PEDs should not be permitted.
On the topic of whether his comments might upset Jones, Aspinall chuckled, suggesting that he may have already gotten under Bones’ skin, saying, “I don’t know, I don’t care, I’m not bothered [but] Jon Jones seems to get his feelings hurt a little bit.”
In a related conversation, revered UFC commentator Joe Rogan expressed his admiration for Tom Aspinall while raising an important question regarding his endurance in a potential showdown against Jones.
“I hope they fight,” Rogan remarked during a recent podcast episode. “Here’s the question with Aspinall; what happens to Aspinall in the second round? If you wanna talk about a guy who sprints… Aspinall might be the fastest heavyweight in the history of the sport.”
With an impressive record of 8-1 in the UFC, Aspinall has secured seven victories in the first round, with his only second-round finish occurring just 69 seconds into that round against Andrei Arlovski.
Rogan continued to praise Aspinall’s extraordinary movement for a heavyweight, saying, “I don’t think anybody moves like that guy does. At a 250lb+ frame, his movement is extraordinary… His ability to move the way he moves is so much different from everybody else in the sport.”
Despite his admiration for Aspinall, Rogan admitted it would be “hard to bet against Jon,” especially considering Jones’s achievements in solidifying his position as a true heavyweight.
