The officials of UFC announced today that undisputed heavyweight champion Jon Jones will take on interim champion Tom Aspinall in a much-anticipated title unification fight at UFC 325 on March 15, 2026, in London, England.
The announcement follows an increasing speculation surrounding the future of Jones after he overpowered Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 last year to cement his position as the greatest of all time. British giant, Aspinall, has been making noises about his anger over the delay, having won the interim belt by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich in the first round and having defended it against Curtis Blaydes in a razor-thin decision.
The showdown is between the experience and tactical genius of Jones and the explosive athleticism and finishing power of Aspinall. Jones comes at 38 with an unstained heavyweight record, having won over Ciryl Gane and Miocic, and displays the development of his grappling and striking.
There are concerns, though, concerning his activity level since this will be his third fight in four years. Aspinall, aged 32, responds with a finish rate of 93% in the UFC, with his speed and submission capabilities being a nightmare to slower veterans.
It is projected that a chess match on the feet leads to a ground war, and analysts believe that the wrestling advantage that Jones has over Aspinall might go into a conflict with the jiu-jitsu black belt of Aspinall.
Controversy has already begun to brew up. Aspinall alleged that Jones had dodged him in a recent podcast appearance, saying that the American icon favours legacy games rather than actual games. Jones responded by attacking Aspinall in the media, calling him unproven and claiming to school the young lion.
UFC president Dana White promoted the event in the press conference, describing it as the largest heavyweight bout in history since the one between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos. White has also commented on the possibility of Jones retiring. A win would result in a superfight with light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, and a loss would likely deliver a fatal blow to his legendary career.
There are rumours in the undercard that could include a welterweight title eliminator between Belal Muhammad and Shavkat Rakhmonov, along with a women’s bantamweight match of Raquel Pennington vs Julianna Pena. The atmosphere of London gives Aspinall the burden of home town expectations where he is aspiring to be the first English-born born unquestioned heavyweight champion.
This crossover makes UFC 325 a pay-per-view that must be watched, and the comparisons are made with historic matches. The fans are looking forward to record-breaking gates with the sale of tickets next week. Since training camps are revving into high gear, the MMA world is closely following whether it is through his guile that Jones will emerge victorious or if youth prevails through Aspinall in what may be a redefinition of the hierarchy of the division.
In other related news, ex-champion Francis Ngannou has shown interest in a boxing rematch with Anthony Joshua, although his PFL contracts could postpone any crossover. The announcement will be the climax of an exciting week in MMA, with the upsets of UFC 323, and will prelude an explosive 2026.
