Tom Aspinall Favored Over Jon Jones To End 2025 As UFC HW Champion

The UFC heavyweight division has had an “undisputed” champion and an interim champion for over five months, and there is no end to this situation in sight. The only indication that there is hope for a resolution is a “100 percent” guarantee from UFC CEO Dana White that Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall will fight for the undisputed UFC heavyweight title before the end of 2025. Fight or no fight, the betting odds favor Aspinall to end 2025 with the UFC title around his waist.

Jones, the former UFC light heavyweight champ, made his heavyweight debut in March 2023 in a fight against Ciryl Gane for the vacant UFC heavyweight title. Jones made short work of Gane, picking up a first-round submission victory.

The UFC then booked Jones against former two-time UFC heavyweight titleholder Stipe Miocic for UFC 295. However, Jones was forced from that matchup after suffering a torn pectoral muscle during training.

With Jones out of action, the UFC booked Aspinall against Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 for the interim title. Aspinall won the title with a first-round knockout of Pavlovich.

Despite Aspinall holding the interim title, the UFC decided to stick with Jones vs. Miocic for Jones’ first title defense. With that, Aspinall opted to defend his interim crown, defeating Curtis Blaydes by knockout in the first round of their UFC 304 matchup.

When Jones and Miocic finally took place at UFC 309, Jones easily retained his title, knocking out Miocic in the third round with a spinning back kick.

In December, White had the following to say about a potential matchup between Jones and Aspinall in 2025.

Dana White Makes A Guarantee

“I’ll say 100 percent (the fight happens),” said White. “I think it’s probably the biggest fight in heavyweight history, and it’s a massive fight in the history of the company, too. It’s a big fight.”

“It’s weird,” White said when asked about what seems like a disconnect between the fighters and the UFC. “What’s weird about that, let me tell you what’s weird about that: So usually guys say that (expletive) behind the scenes and not publicly. Jon says that (expletive) publicly but not behind the scenes. Jon is a very unique individual to deal with. From Day 1, I’ve been confident that Jon Jones would do that fight. Even before the fight (with Miocic), I said Jon will do this fight. Jon Jones isn’t afraid to fight anybody, and that’s a fact.

“The only time that anything remotely weird has happened with Jon Jones is the time that his (expletive) camp did the weird Chael Sonnen thing, ‘We can’t fight Chael Sonnen on short notice.’ and that wasn’t him. It was his team, and he listened to his team for whatever reason. But that’s like the goofiest (expletive) move in the history of the UFC. But other than that, Jon Jones is not a guy that, behind the scenes, turns down fights.”

Tom Aspinall On Jones Vs. Aspinall

Aspinall recently spoke about the conversation he had with Dana White following UFC 309, where Aspinall weighed-in as a potential emergency fill-in for either Jones or Miocic.

“Actually, right after that press conference, I had a meeting with Dana,” Aspinall said. “So, in all honesty, I was expecting to come and maybe we negotiate a little bit. He literally walks into the room and said, ‘It’s happening.’ I said, ‘Well, he’s going to want loads of money.’ He said, ‘I know, but it’s happening.’ And he said, ‘It’s going to be the biggest fight in UFC history.’”

As for his side of the negotiations, Aspinall said money is a secondary concern.

“No, no,” Aspinall said. “I don’t really care about money at this point. Obviously, I’ve got a family. I want to make as much money as I can. But to me, what’s more important is unifying belts.”

Jon Jones on Jones vs. Aspinall

In late November, Jones offered an update on his side of a potential title unification fight.

“Right now, the UFC and I, we’re in negotiations,” Jones said. “We’re in talks to see what happens next. I’m back in the gym. I’m training. I feel really great. The team supports me and they’re behind me. We’ll just be ready for whatever opportunity comes our way.”

“There is (a figure in mind), but I’m not going to discuss that publicly,” Jones added. “Yes, I will be competing in 2025, more than likely.”

UFC Heavyweight Champion At The End of 2025 Betting Odds/Futures

Tom Aspinall: -200

Jon Jones: +175

Ciryl Gane: +1000

Alex Pereira: +1000

Sergei Pavlovich: +1400

Alexander Volkov: +1600

Curtis Blaydes: +2000

Jailton Almeida: +2500

Serghei Spivac: +5000

Jairzinho Rozenstruik: +6600

Derrick Lewis: +6600

Marcin Tybura: +6600

Tai Tuivasa: +8000

*Odds via BetOnline

Stay tuned for more betting odds/futures for UFC champions at the end of 2025.