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Elite but Not the GOAT: Tom Aspinall Says Jon Jones’ PED Use Changes the Debate

Tom Aspinall gets brutally honest on whether he thinks Jon Jones qualifies as an MMA GOAT.

Mathew Riddle

Aspinall (Jeff Botari/Getty Images) / Jones (Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Tom Aspinall is firm in his belief that Jon Jones doesn't qualify for the MMA GOAT conversation.

'Bones' has been long regarded as the greatest UFC fighter in history, if not MMA. However, his eligibility in the GOAT conversation has been marred by a plethora of controversies, both inside and outside the Octagon.

It's Jones' history of PED-related suspensions that has Aspinall up in arms as to whether he qualifies as the greatest.

Step up and Fight! 6x UFC Champ Says Its Time Jon Jones Lived up to GOAT Status

Jon Jones
Nov 16, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Jon Jones (red gloves) enters prior to fighting Stipe Miocoic (blue gloves) in the heavyweight bout during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Aspinall: Jon Jones Is 'Elite' but PED-Use Makes Him Exempt From GOAT Status

Sitting down on Piers Morgan Uncensored on Friday, Aspinall was prompted about his opinion on Jones:

"Let me first start by saying Jon is absolutely elite and I can completely agree with the notion that he's one of the best fighters ever," Aspinall said. " ... The way that I look at it [Whether Jones is the GOAT] is that he has failed a couple drug tests. To me that rules you out of being the best of all time.

"... Yeah [it makes Jones a cheat]," Aspinall replied when Morgan asked the question. "... If you're on PEDs and your opponent isn't, that's absolutely cheating."

Aspinall, the UFC interim heavyweight champion, currently waits in the wings while Jones negotiates a deal with the UFC. CEO Dana White has assured fans that Aspinall vs. Jones is the guaranteed fight, but there is every chance that Jones retires in 2025. In this case, a fight for the vacant title will likely happen between Aspinall and Ciryl Gane, who took a controversial victory over Alexander Volkov at UFC 310.

There aren't many other viable heavyweight matchups since Aspinall has wins over five of the current top ten fighters, including Volkov if the UFC decide to overlook his UFC 310 defeat.

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Mathew Riddle
MATHEW RIDDLE

Mathew is a UK-based combat sports journalist, graphic designer, and SEO expert with over five years of experience in digital marketing and a dedicated four-year track record in MMA journalism. He joined MMAKO in 2023. Mathew's insights have been featured on The Fight Fanatic, Heavy on UFC, Fansided, and Sportskeeda. Reach him at mr@thefightfanatic.com.

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