UFC commentator Joe Rogan has added fuel to the excitement surrounding the heavyweight title unification fight between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall.
UFC CEO Dana White confirmed the fight after Fight Night on Dec. 14, guaranteeing the matchup is "100 percent" happening, and labeling it as "the biggest fight in heavyweight history."
Speaking on the New Year's Eve episode of the "Joe Rogan Experience" podcast, Rogan revealed the rumored price tag for Jones to step into the octagon with the interim champion.
"I think they are trying to come to some sort of an agreement," Rogan said. "The rumor is that he wants $30 million that the UFC is going to pay, hopefully.
"I hope they [UFC] pay it."
Jones, who defended his heavyweight title with a third-round TKO of Stipe Miocic in Nov. 2024, made clear the one condition that must be granted for him to fight Aspinall next.
"If I give [Aspinall] the opportunity to fight me, I want to be well compensated," Jones said. "I want that '(expletive)-you money,' honestly. Otherwise, my life is perfect.
"I don't need him, but he needs me."
Jon Jones is asked how much he wants to get paid to fight Tom Aspinall:
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) November 17, 2024
"A very, very high number… I want to be compensated to the point where if I won or lost, that it really wouldn't matter."#UFC#MMA#UFC309pic.twitter.com/NXSUxN9CyN
Tom Aspinall, for his part, has been vocal about his confidence heading into a potential matchup. After Jones defeated Miocic at UFC 309, Aspinall acknowledged Jones' greatness while pointing out flaws he believes he could exploit.
"I definitely see openings. Whether I can do it or not, I don't know," Aspinall said. "But from the outside looking in, I think I can."
As for when the fight will happen, the UFC has already announced the main events and headliners for UFC 311 and UFC 312 in January and February respectively, with UFC 314, scheduled for Mar. 8, the first event without a bonafide title fight in the main card.
Related: Dana White Confirms 'Biggest Fight' in UFC History Is '100 Percent' Happening
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This story was originally published January 5, 2025 at 5:16 AM