The Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall saga positive aspects new layers daily on social media with each UFC heavyweight champions — lineal and interim — taking photographs at one another. In the meantime, UFC CEO Dana White continuously repeats, each time requested, that the unification bout will occur.
UFC veteran Renato Moicano doesn’t share the optimism.
“I feel it’s absurd,” Moicano informed MMA Preventing about Aspinall being pressured to take a seat out a file time with no probability to unify belts. “[Jones] is doing the identical factor [Conor] McGregor did to [Michael] Chandler, two years ready, desirous to cross Tom Aspinall’s prime. The distinction is that one is a champion — however McGregor was greater than a champion as a result of McGregor has the McGregor hype.”
Moicano does imagine White really needs to e-book the combat. However though the corporate may rapidly transfer on from it if Jones decides to retire as a substitute of dealing with a younger challenger in Aspinall, having him round whereas negotiating an important TV deal means good enterprise.
“The UFC is in a troublesome state of affairs as a result of on the identical time they need to resolve this, they nonetheless want Jon Jones — at the very least his picture, identical to they want McGregor,” Moicano mentioned. “That’s two issues the UFC would somewhat not have, but when they inform these guys to f*ck off, or in the event that they pull them off, the corporate loses rather a lot. There’s no house for stars like previously. Like McGregor, like Jon Jones, like Ronda Rousey and Brock Lesnar. It’s extra unfold now. I feel the one star that had that sort of enchantment was Alex Pereira, who had that and misplaced. Had he beat [Magomed] Ankalaev, he can be on that stage of recognition.
“However Pereira misplaced, and Ankalaev is [champion]. Inform me, which champion is in style? You’ve [Alexandre] Pantoja, who isn’t in style. [Merab] Dvalishvili is getting extra in style however isn’t in style both. [Alexander] Volkanovski is in style, however misplaced twice to Islam [Makhachev] and he’s older — and was by no means a world star like Max Holloway was. At 155 you’ve got Islam, who’s very fashionable within the Arab world however doesn’t impresses the American and Western viewers. Dustin Poirier would have been higher deal for the UFC. At 170 you had Belal Muhammad and now it’s Jack Della Maddalena, who has like 300,000 followers, he simply began. At 185, it’s Dricus Du Plessis, who isn’t in style. [Khamzat] Chimaev would have been a lot better. At 205, it’s Magomed Ankalaev. Not even his mom cares about him [laughs].
“And heavyweight it’s Jon Jones. The UFC is in [Jones and McGregor’s] fingers, however for my part they need to strip him of the belt and put Tom Aspinall to combat another person. However in the event you have a look at the division, who else? Ciryl Gane? I feel Ciryl Gane sucks. Individuals will criticize me, however Ciryl Gane can’t even spell jiu-jitsu, brother. [Alexander] Volkov is doing something however combat. Individuals gained’t combat. So the UFC is in Jon Jones’ fingers. And I don’t suppose the [Aspinall] combat gained’t occur. Jon Jones is simply shopping for time and gained’t do it as a result of there’s an enormous probability he loses to Tom Aspinall. Aspinall is a brand new technology of heavyweights. He’s quick, athletic, and the danger isn’t price it.”
In the long run, Moicano feels that the thought of getting Jones face Aspinall hurts the promotion as a result of the UFC, underneath at present’s enterprise mannequin and ESPN deal, isn’t incentivized to open the checkbook for larger fights.
“Not solely it creates demand [from fans], it offers [Jones] leverage in negotiation,” Moicano mentioned. “McGregor has an absurd leverage with the UFC. And other people don’t perceive that the UFC has made McGregor. You’ll be able to’t take anybody and attempt to repeat the recipe, you want a really particular character to make somebody a McGregor. However on the identical time, with out the UFC machine that may make anybody a star, McGregor wouldn’t have change into the monster he’s at present. The UFC needs to be very cautious. He has to observe the wolf so it doesn’t develop to massive, ? The wolf has to remain small to scare the others, however don’t chew the proprietor.”
With rising website charges for on the highway occasions, and an excellent larger TV deal on the horizon, the funds of the UFC look higher than even on the long run.
“[The UFC] is earning money in each form and kind now, particularly with this change, ESPN leaving and Netflix or Amazon coming,” Moicano mentioned. “There’s extra billions now. They’re saying like a billion per 12 months. And like, it doesn’t matter who’s combating. Signing guys for 8+8 or 10+10 on the Contender [Series] and placing them to combat. Like Raul Rosas Jr. combating somebody ranked. Like [Caio] Borralho, who left the Contender on a small contract and was already combating robust guys. You win? Promote this man. You lose? Name another person. Their machine is just about unbeatable, so that they aren’t too frightened about any of that.
“I feel they’re on this leverage with Jon Jones and McGregor due to the [TV deal]. They want numbers to indicate Netflix. Who’re those that promote? It’s clearly McGregor first, then Jon Jones, and possibly Alex Pereira [third]. However they should have these numbers to have the ability to negotiate how a lot [the network] can pay. After the deal is finished, f*ck it, brother, it’s 5 extra years with cash on the pocket, and we take into consideration all that later.”
