I'll be breaking down the news from around the combat sports world and giving you my take on it in this new daily column. Check back every morning to see the biggest or most obscure headlines and what I think about them below.
Tom Aspinall has been sitting on the sidelines listening to UFC president Dana White praising UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones. And now he's reacted to those comments. “They way I look at it, I’m the best heavyweight in the world,” Aspinall said on the “Belive You Me” podcast. “I’m not getting my credit for it. They’re holding the belt hostage, mate, and Jon Jones is loving it. He’s loving the fact that Dana is getting on every interview possible … you’re talking about bantamweights, and Dana White flips it and starts talking about how good Jon Jones is. I’m like, ‘Mate, if he’s that good, let’s fight.’
It's become a bit of a running joke now how much Dana defends and supports Jones. He's allowed his opinion, as we all do on the matter. But Aspinall does have a point. If Jones is as god as White says he is, he should be fighting Aspinall since Aspinall is the interim champion. I think this storyline of avoiding Aspinall (however accurate it may or may not be) will hurt Jones' legacy in the long run. Pair that with the Francis Ngannou debacle at it will taint his entire heavyweight title run.
Alex Pereira is set to face off with Khalil Rountree Jr. for his next title defense and many people were upset he got the title shot. Rountree Jr. was asked what he thought of the the fan reaction in a recent interview with MMA Fighting. “I understand that people are upset. Whatever. It’s not my problem, for one,” Rountree Jr. said. “It’s not my problem. It’s out of my control. They give me the call — OK, I take it. Let them deal with their own problems. Let them talk to the UFC. Whatever fans are not happy about this, I don’t know why. I couldn’t even call them true fans if you’re not happy about this matchup."
I absolutely love this match-up and I said so the day it was announced. Sure, Magomed Ankalaev "deserves" the fight next due to his rankings but we all know that fight would not be competative or exciting and the one with Roundtree Jr. will be. Sometimes it's ok to go out of order in the rankings if it makes for a better fight for the fans. Sorry, Ankalaev.
During his recent pre-fight press conference Jake Paul referred to himself as the greatest boxer who ever lived, Muhammad Ali. “At the end of the day, people are always going to have something to say. It’s because of who I am,” Paul said "I proved everyone wrong. Reminder: the most hated and most criticized boxer in the sport of boxing before they loved them was Muhammad Ali. So I’m the anti-hero, and people will love me soon enough once they realize what I’ve done for this sport and who I truly am. But it doesn’t bother me at the end of the day, because when you’re at the top, people are clawing to rip you down. And that’s just the way the game goes.”
Ok so at least he didn't say he has the boxing skills of Ali because that would be laughable. I don't hate the comparison Paul is making here, but I don't love it either. I don't think Ali was hated or disrespected like Paul is and I also think Ali's controversies were in politics and race, not his career. I think Paul needs to try again.
