Dana White provides major update on ‘biggest fight in UFC history’ as MMA mogul makes defiant vow
DANA WHITE has vowed to deliver “the biggest fight in UFC history” this year.
MMA‘s top promotion has several mouthwatering matchups in the pipeline for the rest of the year, including Khamzat Chimaev‘s eventual shot at middleweight gold.
None of those, however, are bigger than the bout which moved a massive step closer to finally coming to fruition last November.
The fight in question is the eagerly-anticipated heavyweight title unification bout between undisputed and interim champs Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall.
Negotiations for the bout began in the aftermath of Jones’ stunning stoppage of Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in New York.
And White is confident they’ll eventually bear fruit, saying during an appearance on The Jim Rome Show: “We’re in the works, we’re talking on it.
“I’ve said that I’m very confident that fight happens this year.
“Nothing’s holding it up, it’s just a matter of getting it done.
“It’s not as easy to put these types of fights together that people think they are.
“They take time — but we’ll get it done.”
Former pound-for-pound king Jones revealed he wants “f**k you money” to unify the belts against Aspinall, who he’s branded an “a**hole.”
UFC commentator Joe Rogan sensationally claimed the 37-year-old wants a whopping £24.5MILLION ($30m) to throw down with the Brit.
But White dismissed the’ reported purse demands as “bull****” in a recent conversation with his good friend.
Rogan said: “I have to correct something because there was a conversation I had with Yannis Pappas and Chris Distefano.
“We were talking about Jon Jones.
“I heard a rumor that Jon Jones wanted $30 million to fight Tom Aspinall.
“I did hear that rumor and I did hear that the UFC said yes, but it is not true.
“Dana contacted me, said that rumor is bulls**t.
“So I felt obligated to tell everybody that was a fake rumor.
“[But] I don’t remember who told me that.”