Jon Jones’ striking coach Brandon Gibson has given his response to interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall calling for “Bones” to be stripped of his main title.
Jones was expected to make his first heavyweight title defense against Stipe Miocic in the main event of UFC 295 last month. “Bones” suffered a torn pectoral tendon while preparing for the legacy bout, forcing a change in the UFC 295 card. Aspinall was called upon to face Sergei Pavlovich for the interim heavyweight gold. It was Aspinall who made a massive statement, knocking Pavlovich out cold in the opening frame.
Jon Jones’ Coach On Tom Aspinall’s Call to Strip Jon Jones of Interim UFC Gold
Brandon Gibson, the striking coach of Jon Jones, was interviewed by the folks at “From The Stands.” During the chat, Gibson admitted that he views Aspinall as a very skilled competitor.
“As a coach, I see a lot of greatness in Tom Aspinall,” Gibson said. “Very good footwork, good defense , good fundamentals, and like you said, he brings a lot of attributes to heavyweight that help represent that new generation.”
With that said, Gibson noted that Aspinall has not yet earned the right to call the shots like Jones has.
“Any young fighter coming up wants to make a statement, especially against legends,” Gibson said. “Jon had tweeted the other night that Tom hasn’t faced any legends in this game. He doesn’t have that on his resume, it’s not part of his accolades.”
Why Jones Won’t Be Stripped
Gibson went on to explain why he doesn’t believe the UFC will strip “Bones” of the heavyweight hardware.
“I read a thing the other day talking about the UFC fighters that have been stripped of their belts and why, and there weren’t many in there for inactivity,” Gibson said. “Unfortunately, we have this injury and it’s on the timeline, but the UFC’s not gonna strip Jon Jones as heavyweight champion. He’s the GOAT.”
Here is Brandon Gibson’s full appearance on “From The Stands:”
