'Extraordinary' - the case for Aspinall to fight Jones in numbers

It's been conscionable implicit a twelvemonth since the UFC has had an undisputed heavyweight champion.

Following Tom Aspinall's interim rubric triumph past November, reigning champion Jon Jones retained his loop successful ascendant manner astatine UFC 309 to yet enactment his rivalry with chap American Stipe Miocic to bed.

Jones, 37, has been mostly dismissive of facing Aspinall adjacent - alternatively targeting a bout with Alex Pereira - but has suggested he's consenting to "negotiate" a woody to combat the Briton.

UFC president Dana White says a unification bout betwixt the brace would beryllium the "biggest heavyweight combat successful UFC history".

Aspinall, 31, is the favourite to combat Jones. So astatine BBC Sport, we've looked astatine the numbers.

Here is the lawsuit for Aspinall (15-3) to combat Jones (28-1-1NC) and however the brace comparison statistically.

A erstwhile light-heavyweight champion who astatine 23 became the youngest rubric holder successful UFC history, Jones is wide regarded arsenic 1 of the top of each clip aft winning 28 of his 30 MMA bouts.

His 1 decision was a disqualification against Matt Hamill successful 2009, portion his triumph implicit Daniel Cormier successful 2017 was recorded arsenic a no-contest aft Jones subsequently failed a doping test.

Jones' statement for not wanting to combat Aspinall is the bout "does nothing" for his legacy, adding the younger antheral hasn't "proven oregon done anything".

However, statistic amusement the Mancunian has produced astonishing figures successful conscionable 9 fights successful the UFC.

He presently holds a fig of records, including:

Aspinall is besides 2nd successful the all-time grounds books for:

But possibly Aspinall's astir striking stat is his 93% first-round decorativeness rate.

He has won an bonzer 14 of 15 vocation victories wrong the opening 5 minutes.

Aspinall's ratio means, remarkably, helium has ne'er been past the 2nd round.

That statistic means question marks stay implicit his endurance levels, though helium antecedently told BBC Sport that cardio is 1 of his concealed weapons.

With 8 first-round finishes, Jones has less than Aspinall, but has shown clip and clip again his quality to triumph a assortment of antithetic stylistic fights.

Whether it's dominating with his grappling similar helium did against Ciryl Gane past twelvemonth oregon grinding retired a determination similar his gruelling triumph implicit Alexander Gustafsson successful 2013, Jones usually works retired a mode to win.

Although Aspinall doesn't clasp victories implicit aggregate erstwhile champions and hall-of-famers similar Jones, helium has beaten 5 of the top-eight ranked heavyweights.

When it comes to striking, Aspinall utilises his fearsome knockout powerfulness by mostly targeting the head, portion Jones appears to premix up his attacks more.

Any grappling exchanges betwixt the brace would beryllium fascinating. Aspinall spends 0.09% of this UFC fights successful bottommost position, the lowest successful UFC history, portion Jones is 3rd lowest connected the database astatine 0.19%.

Jones, astatine 95%, besides has the second-highest takedown defence successful UFC history.

Aspinall has a 100% takedown defence but the UFC lone adhd it their grounds books erstwhile a combatant has faced a minimum of 20 takedowns - thing Aspinall is yet to do.

After playing down the imaginable of warring Aspinall, Jones described a imaginable Pereira matchup arsenic a "legacy bout".

The erstwhile middleweight champion, 37, captured the light-heavyweight rubric successful 2023 earlier making 3 palmy defences this year, each by knockout.

Despite his awesome form, the Brazilian doesn't apical immoderate statistic successful the UFC's all-time grounds lists, though astatine 67.2%, helium does clasp a divisional grounds for important onslaught accuracy.

If Jones and Pereira were to combat astatine heavyweight, the Brazilian would besides person the accidental astatine becoming the UFC's archetypal three-division champion.

Despite White's reservations, Pereira's popularity with fans and the stakes of the contention - Jones' undefeated streak versus Pereira's effort astatine winning 3 belts - mean it's not a bout galore would beryllium opposed to.

Aspinall has poked amusive astatine Jones for targeting Pereira, suggesting the American is ducking him, portion Jones has made airy of the concern by changing his show representation connected societal media to a duck wearing a UFC title.

Which matchup would you similar to see?