TAMPA, Fla. – UFC CEO Dana White isn’t one to give guarantees when it comes to unconfirmed matchmaking, but Jon Jones against. Tom Aspinall is an exception.

The much-desired heavyweight title unification fight between champion Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) and interim titleholder Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) is in limbo as “Bones” teases his retirement and rejected a match with the British.

White expressed confidence that the fight would take place after Jones’ decision. title defense against Stipe Miocic in November, and when asked during Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 63 post-fight press conference if he could be certain that would happen, White gave a definitive answer .

“I will say 100 percent (the fight happens),” White told MMA Junkie. “I think it’s probably the biggest fight in heavyweight history, and it’s also a massive fight in the history of the company. It’s a big fight.

Dana White gives RARE guarantee that Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall will unify UFC titles in 2025: “Yeah. I would say 100 percent.

(via @DannySeguraTV) pic.twitter.com/Juax5RDeFi

– MMA Addict (@MMAJunkie) December 15, 2024

Although Jones appears to be pretending not to be interested in Aspinall, White said his experience of speaking to the man he considers the greatest of all time was different in private.

“It’s weird,” White said. “What’s weird about this, let me tell you what’s weird about this: so usually guys say this shit behind the scenes and not publicly. Jon says this shit publicly but not behind the scenes. Jon is a very unique person to deal with. From day one, I was convinced that Jon Jones would lead this fight. Even before the fight (with Miocic), I said Jon would make this fight. Jon Jones isn’t afraid to fight anyone, and that’s a fact.

“The only time something pretty weird happened with Jon Jones was the time his fucking camp did the weird Chael Sonnen thing, ‘We can’t fight Chael Sonnen on short notice .’ and it wasn’t him. It was his team, and he was listening to his team for some reason But it’s like the craziest fucking move in UFC history. Jon Jones is not one to turn down backstage fights.”