“Think about that. He (Jon Jones) came back and fought a full-time firefighter,” Cruz explained. “He didn’t come back and fight Tom Aspinall, who is sitting in the gym staring at Jon Jones tape every second of every day. It’s a different thing.

At Friday’s UFC 321 press conference, Aspinall made it clear that Gane is his sole focus. “Ciryl’s the guy I’m fighting, so he’s the biggest test right now,” Aspinall said. “Jon Jones is retired, so I don’t really have much to say on that, to be honest. I’m fighting this guy and this guy’s really good, so I’ll be as ready as I can be.”

UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall isn't even thinking about fighting Jon Jones at the White House, saying "it has spent zero seconds in my mind."

Jones is widely regarded as the leading contender in the UFC’s GOAT debate, having gone undefeated throughout his career aside from a controversial disqualification and achieved a number of accolades inside the Octagon.

Sonnen's critique of Jones highlights a broader concern within the sport: the authenticity of fighters' motivations. Sonnen questioned whether Jones' return is genuinely about competition or merely a strategic maneuver to avoid facing a challenging opponent like Aspinall. He stated: