This was reported by former UFC middleweight and bantamweight title challenger, Chel Sonnen, citing the leadership of the world’s strongest league.
“An interim champion can only exist if the current champion can’t compete,” “American Gangster” told Demetrious Johnson. “The moment Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic enter the octagon and the gong sounds, Tom Aspinall will immediately lose his belt.”
“Not a lot of people know about this, but I spoke to UFC vice president Mark Ratner and he explained it to me. Those are the rules. Aspinall will no longer be champion and his fight with Jones, even if it happens, will no longer be a unification fight. It’s no longer a champion vs. champion.”
Earlier, the head of the UFC, Dana White, confirmed the information that the title fight between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic in November this year will headline the traditional tournament of the organization in New York.
As for Tom Aspinall, he will make a defense of his interim championship belt on July 27 at UFC 304 in Manchester, however, the name of his opponent is still unknown.