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Daniel Cormier shares new theory on why UFC agreed to Jon Jones fighting Stipe Miocic over Tom Aspinall

Originally posted on Bloody Elbow | By Harvey Leonard | Last updated Jul 16, 2025 10:21 AM ET

If the UFC knew how things would turn out, Daniel Cormier seemingly does not believe Jon Jones would have gotten his wish to fight Stipe Miocic last year.

Dana White announced Jones’ retirement rather unceremoniously in June, with the former light heavyweight champion’s career coming to an end under a cloud of controversy owing to his heavyweight reign.

Jones held the belt for over two years, defended it just once, and avoided a unification fight against then-interim titleholder Tom Aspinall. Debate was sparked when it was announced that Jones would fight Miocic at UFC 309 instead of Aspinall, who had already captured the interim gold following an injury to the champ.

White was firm in defending the move and insisting the Miocic matchup was the fight to make for Madison Square Garden, and Cormier thinks that was due to a Jones promise that was not kept.

Daniel Cormier believes Jon Jones agreed to face Tom Aspinall to get the green light for Stipe Miocic ‘legacy fight’

During a recent appearance on MightyCast, hosted by UFC legend Demetrious Johnson, Cormier reflected on Jones’ one and only title defense in the heavyweight division.

‘DC’, who commentated on his bitter rival’s body-shot TKO of Miocic in New York City eight months ago, admitted the fight should never have happened given the presence of an interim champ in Aspinall.

In terms of why it did take place, Cormier believes the UFC must have had assurances about Jones’ plan to fight Aspinall next.

“I honestly thought when Jones got back — Tom Aspinall was the interim champion when Jones fought Stipe. How?! How can you fight someone else when the interim champion is available? It shouldn’t have happened,” Cormier said.

“I got it, though. But this is where I feel things got crossed,” Cormier added. “I think they (the UFC) might have (done) that with the idea that he would have given them the Tom Aspinall fight.

“That is the only reason they give you a legacy fight, is if you give me something back. I scratch your back, you scratch mine. I feel like maybe he goes, ‘Give me the Stipe fight, I wanna do it at Madison Square, but then I’ll do the Aspinall fight.’

“Then the Tom Aspinall fight comes about and he goes, ‘Give me $30 million,’ thinking like, ‘This is going to be my way of (getting out of it).’ … You’ve gotta fight the guy, man.”

The last hope for Tom Aspinall vs. Jon Jones recently emerged

Despite Jones’ retirement, talk of a long-awaited clash with Aspinall remains on the table.

It didn’t take long for the Rochester native to spark conversations over a comeback, with the catalyst being Donald Trump’s planned UFC White House event to celebrate July 4 in 2026.

Alongside Conor McGregor and others, Jones immediately raised his hand. And should Aspinall remain on the heavyweight throne, some believe the USA vs. UK showdown could finally come to fruition at an apt location.

That fight would even see Cormier surprisingly in support of Jones, whom he’s branded the best option for America to secure a huge home victory to close out a July 4 celebration.

This article first appeared on Bloody Elbow and was syndicated with permission.

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