The world of MMA has seen its fair share of rivalries, but some fizzle out before they even reach the octagon. That’s exactly what’s happening between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall, though not for the usual reasons. ‘Bones’ is preparing for his heavyweight title defense against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. The champion is making headlines for his sharp words about the interim champion.
The beef between these two fighters has taken an exciting turn, with Jones flat-out refusing to even consider a future matchup. But here’s the kicker; it’s not about fighting skills or rankings. Jones personally doesn’t like Aspinall.
“If I’m being completely honest, I feel like Tom’s been such an assh*le that I don’t want to do business with him. He’s 30 so he’s from this influencer generation where you hop online with the t-shirt sales and all that. I’m past that type of stuff. I’m like bro if you had a little bit more respect then maybe we could have something out,” Jones said during UFC 309 media day.
The whole situation started heating up when Aspinall began questioning why Jon Jones was fighting Miocic instead of him. The British heavyweight didn’t exactly mince words, calling Jones and Miocic “two old farts” fighting for what he considers a disputed title.
The drama doesn’t end there, though. Jones made it crystal clear that if the UFC tries to force an Aspinall fight, he’s perfectly happy to hang up his gloves for good. He would rather chase a super fight with Alex Pereira or call it a career than deal with what he sees as unnecessary drama.
Jon Jones Commends Tom Aspinall For Having The Right Mindset
The fight game is full of surprises; sometimes, even rivals can give credit where it’s due. In an unexpected turn of events, the UFC heavyweight champion recently threw some praise Aspinall’s way days before his big showdown with Miocic at UFC 309.
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Jones shared some interesting thoughts about Aspinall during an ESPN interview. The champ brought up the famous “Red Panty Night” phrase -the classic Conor McGregor line about how fighting him makes everyone rich. Jones actually nodded to Aspinall’s ambition, saying the young British star has his head screwed on straight for wanting the big fights.
“Everyone wants to fight me, that’s just what it is…Conor [McGregor] calls it, ‘Red Panty Night’? Tom’s head is in the right place. He should want to fight the top guys in the world. I believe that he has time to fight the top guys in the world.”
But Jon Jones is still keeping Aspinall at arm’s length when it comes to actually stepping into the octagon together. He clarified that while he respects Aspinall’s hustle, he has other plans. He is focusing all his time on defending his title against Stipe Miocic.
Also Read: UFC 309 headliner Stipe Miocic Fires Back At Jon Jones’ Comments About Hiring Black Fighters
