UFC CEO Dana White is pushing back on Jon Jones’ proposed legacy fight idea.

Should Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) beat Stipe Miocic and decide not to retire after UFC 309, White told “The Jim Rome Show” on Thursday that only one option makes sense, and that’s Tom Aspinall.

Although Jones wants to fight Alex Pereira in a potential superfight, White doesn’t think the UFC light heavyweight champion has the right skills to book it.

“Jon will do what he does on Saturday,” White said. “If he wins, he will disappear for a while and the competitive spirit will bubble up again, and then money will start talking. If he doesn’t decide to retire, he’ll definitely be fighting Aspinall positively. He’s not fighting Pereira.

“(Pereira) was a middleweight who moved up to light heavyweight. He is also a kickboxer who has done very well in MMA. His wrestling isn’t even close to Jon Jones’ level, and Jon Jones is much bigger than him. If Jon Jones wants to fight again after Saturday night, he will fight Tom Aspinall.

Jones has flirted with the idea that Saturday’s fight against Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) at Madison Square Garden would be his final appearance in the octagon. However, he is also constantly occupied with questions with answers full of scenarios about a future beyond.

None of Jones’ scenarios include Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC), who won interim gold in November 2023 and has defended it once since. Jones has instead focused on Pereira (12-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC), which he sees as a matchup that makes more sense business-wise and for his legacy.

White has consistently expressed his opinion that Jones will compete again after UFC 309. Considered by many to be the greatest mixed martial artist ever, Jones has not lost, aside from a disqualification for throwing the then-illegal 12-6 elbows in December 2009.

For more information on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s events hub for UFC 309.