UFC icons Israel Adesanya and Demetrius “Mighty Mouse” Johnson recently made it crystal clear that they would jump at the chance to face heavyweight contender Tom Aspinall for a reported $30 million payday—even without proper training.
The discussion happened in a recent episode of the FREESTYLEBENDER podcast. The two talked about the recent reports suggesting Jon Jones turned down a massive $30 million offer to compete against Aspinall in a unification bout. According to veteran MMA insider Ariel Helwani, Jones initially agreed to the Saudi Arabia-backed matchup but backed out just two days later.
When asked about the hypothetical scenario of facing Aspinall for such money, both Adesanya and Johnson were unequivocal in their responses. “F**king yeah,” Adesanya emphatically stated when asked if he’d roll the dice for $30 million. “Even if I wasn’t a fighter, for 30 million, I’d get my a*s kicked for 30 million. Like, yo, fuck it.”
Johnson echoed the sentiment with equal enthusiasm, emphasizing the nature of such a payday. The former flyweight champion didn’t hesitate when considering the financial opportunity.
Both acknowledged Aspinall as a legitimate threat. Having met the British heavyweight personally, Johnson described him as “thick” and “in shape.”
“Light on his toes. He explodes across the void in and out like you’re in shape. You are a disciplined athlete that is always in shape,” Johnson observed after their encounter.
Adesanya agreed that Aspinall represents a “different beast” in the heavyweight division, particularly compared to other contenders. The former middleweight champion praised Aspinall’s combination of youth, athleticism, and knockout power that makes him such a compelling challenge for any heavyweight.
