Rising UFC Heavyweight Feels Jon Jones Should Be Allowed To Skip Tom Aspinall Fight & Take On Stipe Miocic: 'You Kind Of Give Him Whatever He Wants!'

UFC heavyweight fighter Jamal Pogues has given a relatively sympathetic take on Jon Jones' current situation. 

Last year, a pec injury forced "Bones" out of his UFC Heavyweight Championship defense against Stipe Miocic at UFC 295. As a result, Tom Aspinall was crowned Interim Heavyweight Champion after making impossibly quick work of Sergei Pavlovich at the event. 

In the months since, Jones has frequently made clear he intends to fight Miocic when he's cleared to return. In a bit of bad news for Aspinall, it appears "Bones" has no interest in fighting him for the undisputed mantle. The Aspinall issue has led to considerable criticism being throw Jones' way by fans, fighters, and pundits alike. 

"Jon's The GOAT" - Jamal Pogues

During a recent interview with InsideFighting, the 11-4 Pogues acknowledged that champions typically fight interim champions when they first return. Pogues used the example of then-UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar coming back to take down interim champ Shane Carwin back at UFC 116.

"Jon's the GOAT, you know? I feel like, and you know, it sucks to say this, because this is anything when it comes to boxing, any sport, you know, your first fight back as a champion, you do- you're supposed to fight the interim," Pogues said. "So that's something that we always got accustomed to, UFC has always made it happen, look at Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin you know what I mean?"

However, due to Jones' impressive legacy as a fighter - including total domination of the light heavyweight scene for years - Pogues isn't against the champ getting what he wants when he returns.

"When you think of fighting, that is supposed to happen, interim fights the champ when he comes back," Pogues explained. "But with the legacy that Jon Jones has, and who he is, you know, you kind of give him whatever he wants, you know? Like, he already said he wanted Madison Square Garden to be his last fight, you know, he had to get shoulder surgery so, you know, you kind of do give him what he wants."

Pogues concluded by opining that giving Jones what he wants serves as a farewell and thank you of sorts for the efforts "Bones" has put in over the years.