Jones expects Aspinall to lose within 'next 2 or 3 fights'

Jon Jones doesn't have much faith in Tom Aspinall.

The UFC heavyweight champion said Thursday night in a post on X that he believes it won't be long until the interim champ suffers his next loss.

"Eventually, Tom will lose within the next two or three fights, and my legacy will go on as the greatest MMA (fighter) ever," Jones wrote in response to a fan who accused him of ducking Aspinall. "End of story."

Jones defended the heavyweight title for the first time earlier in November at UFC 309, finishing former champ Stipe Miocic with a third-round TKO at Madison Square Garden.

The 37-year-old's next move is unclear. UFC CEO Dana White wants him to unify the belts with Aspinall, but Jones said before and after his fight with Miocic that he was interested only in a matchup against light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira - and that he would retire if the promotion doesn't grant him his wish.

Aspinall captured the interim strap after an injury sidelined Jones for a lengthy period of time last year. The 31-year-old Englishman is 8-1 in the Octagon since debuting in 2020, with his lone loss coming 15 seconds into a fight after he blew out his knee. Most recently, Aspinall knocked out Curtis Blaydes in his first interim title defense at UFC 304 in July.

Aspinall, who weighed in as the backup for Jones-Miocic at UFC 309, said he wouldn't defend the interim title again before challenging for the undisputed throne.