John Jones is now in an enviable position when it comes to negotiating power with the UFC, but that will not last forever.
It acknowledges that the Fighters maintain that much leverage when dealing with matchmakers and executives like Dana White and Hunter Campbell, but Jones is in a position of a bit more control over his career, considering he is being paid for a potential fight with Tom Aspinaar. Still, Brown warns Jones not to exaggerate his hands. Because in the end the UFC will move on without him.
“They say the biggest heavyweight fight you can do is with John Jones,” Brown said in the latest episode of the fighter and writer. “They know that. They also know that the UFC will destroy records without him. But I think the UFC will depend on how powerful John has.
“They want the biggest fight in heavyweight history and know that’s what Tom and John have to offer at this point. At the same time, John knows whether they’ll walk away by saying ‘f*ck you’.
Brown believes Jones’ considerable star power, coupled with Jones’s lack of heavyweight options, now places him in a great position.
Things are very different to say that former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannow still existed, but without him as an option, the UFC would probably be Jones vs. Aspinel the biggest battle available in the sport today.
“That’s where the problem is that John has some power,” Brown explained. “It’s the cash cow club because it’s heavyweight. That’s where you’re the biggest fight. That’s what most people care about. It’s an interesting balance of power there. It’s sort of coming and going and negotiating.
“He wants more power. He’s that type of guy. You can see an interview with him. You can see who he is. He wants that power. He wants to make money. He wants to make money.
What they’re working on with Jones is that the UFC continues to keep strangled the MMA market and superstars like Conor McGregor have effectively disappeared, while the organization continues to post record numbers in terms of revenue.
That doesn’t mean that the UFC doesn’t want to cash along with Jones vs Aspinel, but the delay in making that fight has led to the expansion of the good for now not lasting forever.
“The UFC is in a position that’s hardly an issue anymore,” Brown said. “They’re going to sell a lot. They’re such a strong brand. I don’t know how much it will happen without a major legal change. Other than that, they’re moving forward.”
Of course, Aspinall has been quite vocal about his frustration over waiting for Jones, but Brown hasn’t actually bought what he’s ready to go further from that fight.
Regarding all the noise Aspinall made through interviews and social media, Brown believes the UFC almost guaranteed that the fight with Jones would eventually happen or that he would move to an already new opponent.
“I don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes,” Brown said. “I don’t know what was said from John’s side or Aspinel’s side. I’ll give Aspinel the bounty of doubt. If he hadn’t thought that the John Jones battle would happen, he would probably have another fight.
“Comparing it to (Michael) Chandler’s situation (with Conor McGregor), I felt that Chandler was waiting for something, so I was a little more stubborn about it (it’s going to happen) (it’s going to happen), it just got slim and slim. Basically his number said, he’s like, ‘I’ll fight him, I just need the right number.’ ”
Ultimately, Brown hopes the deal will be over as Jones wants to continue making his legacy, and he is in a great position to do it in his fight with Aspinel.
Unlike Conor McGregor, who will never compete again, Brown is sure Jones still has some kind of fight left for him, and Aspinel is the biggest and best option available.
“John is a fighter,” Brown said. “He’s not Connor. Connor is a fighter too. I don’t have him, but he’s not. John is a different beast together. He’s a savage guy. He can fight people. You can just fight people.
“There’s no one else to fight for John. If he continues to fight, he’s going to fight Tom, he’ll fight Tom. So I’m waiting for him.