AN INSIDER has claimed to have revealed the UFC’s whopping offer to Jon Jones for a fight with Tom Aspinall.
MMA‘s top promotion have been working on a mammoth melee between the pair since last November but have yet to finalise it.
The UFC agreed to Jon Jones’ demands to be paid ‘f**k you money’ for a fight with Tom Aspinall[/caption]
But the former pound-for-pound king has performed a U-turn after having asking price matched[/caption]
Former title challenger Chael Sonnen has claimed ex-rival Jones is leaving the ‘biggest cheque’ in UFC history on the table[/caption]
That’s despite White and Co. meeting Jones’ demands to be paid “F**K YOU MONEY” for the historic heavyweight title unficiation fight.
Long-time UFC commentator Joe Rogan sensationally claimed Jones demanded £22million ($30m) to unify the belts, although that claim was quickly shot down by White.
And three-time UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen has now claimed the former pound-for-pound king will take home a guaranteed purse of £8.9m ($12m) if he shares the octagon with Aspinall.
He said in a video on his YouTube channel: “I don’t believe Jon Jones has turned down this fight.
“Whatever that number was, and I believe to be $12 million, in case you’re interested. Got my own sources.
“The UFC said, ‘Okay’. Jon’s cheque at the end of the night will be the biggest cheque he’s ever got.
“It will be the biggest cheque anyone has ever got from the UFC.
“It will beat out [Brock] Lesnar, it will beat out Georges [St-Pierre].
“Ronda Rousey’s weren’t as big as they embellished, it will crush hers.”
Jones, 37, has left MMA fans on tenterhooks over the last few weeks by flirting with the prospect of retirement, which would see him walk away from the biggest purse of his career.
And according to White, Jones’ umming and ahhing over retirement has come after he “AGREED” to take on Brit bruiser Aspinall.
He said in the UFC 316 post-fight press conference: “Jon Jones agreed to do the fight.
“Jon Jones was offered the deal and accepted the deal. Jon agreed to fight Tom, yes.
“You guys have heard me for the last however long, ‘I guarantee this fight is going to happen. This fight’s going to happen.’
“You guys told me the crazy s**t that’s going on Instagram, and all these other places.
“But yes, I’ve been saying Jon is going to fight Tom.”
“It will be the biggest cheque anyone has ever got from the UFC.”
Chael Sonnen on Jon Jones’ purse to fight Tom Aspinall
White’s once unwavering confidence in booking the fight, which SunSport understands was being targeted for UFC 322 in November, is starting to fade.
He admitted: “Listen, you can’t make people fight, if Jon doesn’t want to fight, you can’t make him fight.
“We can try to make him fight, we can throw things at him that inspire him to want to fight.
“But we’ll figure it out.”
Former long-reigning light-heavyweight king Jones hasn’t fought since his Madison Square Garden mauling of Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 last November.
Wigan warrior Aspinall, meanwhile, has been on the sidelines since his 60-second demolition job of Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 last July.
Dana White’s once unwavering confidence in booking Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall is fading[/caption]
