Jones wants Aspinall fight - White

UFC president Dana White says he believes Tom Aspinall will fight Jon Jones if the American is successful in his comeback bout against Stipe Miocic.

England's Aspinall has repeatedly called for a fight with heavyweight champion Jones since capturing the interim belt last November.

Aspinall, 31, has since successfully defended his interim title, but he is in the unusual position of being passed over for the next shot at Jones as the fight with Miocic was made before Jones picked up an injury last October.

"I believe that fight happens if Jon Jones beats Stipe," White said in a news conference on Tuesday.

"Dislike him, whatever your beef is with Jon Jones, knock yourself out.

"There's no way in hell that Jon Jones doesn't want to fight Aspinall. That I guarantee you."

Manchester fighter Aspinall has won his last three fights by first-round knockout while two-time heavyweight champion Miocic, 42, has not fought since 2021.

This week Jones, 37, again teased he would retire if he defeats Miocic.

The heavyweight match-up is expected to happen later this year, with the UFC holding pay-per-view events on 16 November at Madison Square Garden in New York and on 7 December in Las Vegas.

In regard to potentially fighting on after Miocic, Jones said on social media: "You never know, maybe the UFC will offer me a deal I can't refuse."

White said the UFC would do "everything we can" to make Jones v Aspinall happen.

Two-weight champion Jones is widely considered the greatest UFC fighter of all time despite a chequered history.

Jones has served two doping suspensions in his UFC career as well as being involved in several unsavoury incidents outside of the cage including receiving a conviction for a hit and run involving a pregnant woman in 2015.