“Tom and I have agreed to wait until the UFC makes their announcement. So, I’m legally obligated not to talk about it,” Jon Jones said during a recent Q&A at Bangtao Muay Thai. He didn’t explain what that legal obligation means, but his comment only fuels the belief that something bigger is going on behind the scenes. Jones already mentioned in a Twitter exchange that the UFC knows his plans, but fans are still completely in the dark.

Meanwhile, Tom Aspinall has been left totally frustrated with the whole situation and has already revealed he plans to fight someone else instead. But the question is—how long can Jon Jones avoid the UFC’s wrath for seemingly dodging the unification bout? A veteran UFC fighter believes that playing games with the promotion could backfire if this delay drags on past Dana White and Co.’s tolerance level.

Matt Brown believes UFC could bring legal changes amid Jon Jones’s negotiation

Jones wanted “f–k-you money” for the Aspinall bout. After Dana White shut down Joe Rogan’s $30 million rumor, Ariel Helwani on his show claimed the champ did, in fact, get the money he asked for. But the fight still hasn’t been made, which raises doubts about whether it’ll actually happen. Matt Brown thinks the issue isn’t money—it’s ‘Bones’ wanting power over the promotion. And he believes that won’t work well with the UFC.

Brown, at the The Fighter vs. The Writer podcast, said, “He wants more power. He’s that type of guy. You can watch an interview with him, you can see who he is. He wants that power. He wants to be the f— man. He wants to make the money. The UFC, we know how they are, they’re going to try to fight against that. The UFC is in a position where it almost doesn’t even matter anymore. They’re going to sell so much. They’re such a powerful brand. I don’t know how much can possibly happen without significant legal change.”

That’s something to think about. Jon Jones is expected to fight in November at the MSG card, so the announcement is anticipated around that time. However, if the fight falls through for any reason, especially after Dana White has promised it multiple times, it could spark serious issues between them. A legal change might also come into play to prevent this kind of uncertainty from happening again.

Meanwhile, Tom Aspinall, who might have just moved past the biggest moment of his career, has already boldly named a few opponents he’s willing to face. His list even includes a surprising name alongside the usual contenders.

Tom Aspinall names possible opponents if the fight with Jones doesn’t happen

The interim champion’s situation has drawn comparisons to Michael Chandler’s fruitless chase of Conor McGregor. Naturally, fans have started asking—what happens if Jones vs. Aspinall never materializes? Well, the Brit seems prepared. He’s already named a few potential opponents, including Ciryl Gane, a rematch with Alexander Volkov, and even Brock Lesnar—if that somehow becomes an option.

Aspinall told ESPN, “I’ve seen a lot of people comparing me to Michael Chandler. [He] waited a long time for Conor McGregor… I’m not waiting for one fight. I’m not trying to fight one guy. I’m trying to fight ALL the guys. I’m trying to be THE guy at heavyweight who takes out everybody. It doesn’t matter who it is, Ciryl Gane, Volkov rematch, Almeida, Derrick Lewis, Brock Lesnar. Whoever it is, I don’t care.”

With that, the Brit also expressed his displeasure and said he doesn’t even want to hear about the Jones fight anymore. He added, “Let’s not talk about Jon Jones anymore. I’m the active guy. I’m gonna fight somebody, and that’s gonna be announced pretty soon.” That might be true—Aspinall has likely signed to fight someone else. But has the UFC really moved past what could’ve been the biggest heavyweight fight of all time

For that reveal, we’ll have to buckle up and wait longer—either for Jon Jones’ comeback announcement or for Tom Aspinall’s next fight against whoever steps in front of him. That said, what do you think about how this whole UFC, Jones, and Aspinall situation will play out?