As speculation swirls about a potential clash between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall, UFC legend Matt Brown has a word of caution for the reigning heavyweight champ: don’t push too far. On the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer, Brown discussed the delicate power dynamic playing out behind the scenes and the risks that come with overplaying one’s hand—even for someone with Jones’ star power.
According to Brown, while Jones is clearly the biggest draw in the UFC heavyweight division, the promotion has proven time and again that it can survive and thrive without any one fighter. “If Jon walks away, they’ll just find a way to make Ciryl Gane or someone else look unstoppable,” Brown said, alluding to the UFC’s unmatched marketing machine.
Jones, sidelined by injury and deep in negotiations, is rumored to be eyeing a big-money return, possibly tied to the UFC’s upcoming broadcast rights renewal in 2026. While Brown acknowledges that Jones holds more sway than most fighters, he also warns that the UFC’s patience has a limit.
“If Jones keeps dragging things out, the UFC might just move on,” Brown stated. “They don’t need him the way they did five or ten years ago.”
On the flip side, Brown doesn’t believe Aspinall is truly considering other opponents. “If he thought the Jones fight wasn’t coming, he’d be booked already,” Brown said. “The UFC must have told him to wait.”
In the end, the tension between Jones’ bargaining power and the UFC’s billion-dollar brand continues to shape what could be the biggest heavyweight fight of the modern era. But as Brown makes clear, in the UFC’s game of leverage, nobody stays on top for long.
