Tom Aspinall in crosshairs as Jon Jones teases 2026 UFC return fight list

Tom Aspinall tops Jon Jones’ 2026 return wish list after heavyweight title snub

Tom Aspinall is the clearest path back to the octagon for Jon Jones, who has kept the door open for a 2026 UFC return after skipping a unification clash with the Brit in late 2024.

Why this fight would rewrite the heavyweight division

Jones vacated the UFC heavyweight strap in November 2024 rather than face Aspinall, handing the Brit a clear run to undisputed champion status. The pair have traded barbs ever since, turning their unfinished trilogy into one of the sport’s most talked-about rivalries. A Jones-Aspinall rematch would instantly become the biggest heavyweight fight in years and settle the division’s top feud.

Jones still in UFC testing pool: and contractually obliged to offer bouts

Jones has not competed since outpointing Stipe Miocic at UFC 301 on 16 November 2024. He remains in the UFC’s drug-testing pool, which keeps him under contract for multiple fight offers each year. “As long as I’m in the drug-testing pool, the UFC is contractually obligated to offer me a few fights a year,” Jones told Ring Magazine. He added that his focus now is family, endorsements and mentoring Gable Steveson’s MMA career.

Four potential opponents: and why Aspinall sits at the top

Aspinall leads Jones’ shortlist because the trilogy stakes dwarf every other option. Ciryl Gane, who stopped Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250 on 7 June 2025 to claim interim gold, offers a rematch path but lacks the personal heat of the Aspinall-Jones saga. Alex Pereira, coming off a loss to Gane, has repeatedly called for Jones and would treat the bout as the biggest fight of his career. Alexander Volkov provides a measured re-entry tune-up, giving Jones a durable veteran test without a strap on the line.

What happens next: and when Aspinall could step in

Jones’ camp has not heard from the UFC in weeks, but the testing-pool clause keeps the pressure on Dana White’s team to tender bouts. If Jones green-lights a return, Aspinall’s next title defence: scheduled for 18 October 2025 against Sergei Pavlovich: would likely slide to late 2026 to clear the trilogy. Until then, the division’s top story remains the stalled Jones-Aspinall rubber match and whether either man can wait that long.