UFC on ESPN 61 headliner Serghei Spivac explains why he 'can't judge' Jon Jones
LAS VEGAS – Serghei Spivac hopes the logjam at the top of the UFC heavyweight division plays out in a way that is satisfying to everyone.
Spivac (16-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC), who looks to continue to build on his name as a contender in a rematch with Marcin Tybura (25-8 MMA, 12-7 UFC) on Saturday in the UFC on ESPN 61 headliner at the UFC Apex (ESPN, ESPN+), is well aware of the discussion points atop his weight class.
He, like everyone, is waiting on champion Jon Jones to return from injury for a title defense against Stipe Miocic. Meanwhile, Spivac continues to be impressed by the efforts of interim champ Tom Aspinall, who recently defended his strap against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304.
After Jones vs. Miocic plays out, there’s a hope to see the heavyweight championship unified. Jones will be heavily favored in the matchup, and there is speculation about whether he’ll retire afterward. For Spivac, he is understanding of the positions of all involved, and therefor can’t levy criticisms.
“I highly respect both guys on top,” Spivac told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s media day. “They are both champions. When it comes to Jon Jones, I can’t judge him or say anything about his decision process, because I haven’t even accomplished half of the stuff in the sport that he has accomplished. He is willing to make whatever decisions he wants to make.
“When it comes to Tom Aspinall, he’s also a rightful champion. He deserves everything he asks for, whatever he wants because he is on a very, very high level in this division. If it happens that the two of them will fight, I think this is going to be an incredible event for the entire world of MMA, and it’s going to be a very exciting fight.”
Spivac, from his own observations, thinks Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) still has fight left in him. If “Bones” gets through Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) in their potential Nov. 16 headliner, Spivac is confident he will unify with Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) – as long as the price is right.
“I think the question is how much they offer him (to fight Aspinall),” Spivac said. “What the offer is going to be. But really, it might happen, and I think Jones got plenty of powder left, so he can still show himself well.”
Spivac, No. 9 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie heavyweight rankings, said he thinks he is “two more victories” from joining real discussions about next title contenders. However, to get there he must avenge his February 2020 unanimous decision loss to No. 8-ranked Tybura, who has proven to be no slouch during a lengthy UFC tenure.
With more than four years between bouts, Spivac, 29, is keen to show he is not the same fighter. He’s never competed in a rematch before, so he’s curious to see what he’s capable of in an unfamiliar scenario.
“This is actually the first rematch of my career, so it’s not like I’ve felt this before. But I don’t think about it in any certain way. We’re just close to each other in the rankings, so it is just set for us to fight again. I’m going to come out, I’m going to fight. It’s just a sport. That’s the way I feel.
“I wasn’t as experienced back then as I was now. I was very, very young. but I don’t want to look for excuses. He won. He won fair and square, and he did a great job back then. I think he still does a good job now. He’s a great fighter, so we’ll see what happens. But yeah, obviously it’s going to be a very different fight.”
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