Jon Jones, UFC 309, is one week away, and the heavyweight king has a message for critics.
has been under fire from fans and critics alike, who believe he’s avoiding a potential fight with interim heavyweight titleholder Tom Aspinall. With his highly anticipated fight against Stipe Miocic coming up at UFC 309 in Madison Square Garden, Jones recently took to social media to respond to those calling him a “duck” for not wanting to face Aspinall.
Despite previously suggesting his fight with Miocic might be his last, Jones now seems open to one more match—just not against Aspinall. When asked by a reporter about what Aspinall could do to secure a shot against him, Jones had a blunt response. “Really nothing. I find him annoying and I’ve been here for so long; he just got to the UFC not too long ago.”
Jones went on to question Aspinall’s accomplishments in the division. “If he wanted to fight me, he could have been here, it’s like ‘where have you been all this time?’ At the end of the day he has no real standout legacy,” Jones said. Referring to Aspinall’s biggest win, he added, “I think the only guy he’s beat is Andrei Arlovski, and Andrei was very old at the time.”
For Jones, a fight with Aspinall simply doesn’t hold much appeal. “He really has nothing that entices me,” he continued. “He reminds me of a bunch of other up-and-comers that I fought where it does nothing for my legacy, really nothing. Maybe if he goes on and gets close to my win record, maybe I’ll be enticed to come back and see. But I highly doubt he’ll do that.”
Jon Jones, UFC 309, Reacts to Critics After Tom Aspinall Claims
Jones even hinted that a different opponent might capture his interest: former middleweight champion Alex Pereira. “Alex Pereira, though, that’s somebody that interests me,” Jones said. “He had great sagas with Israel Adesanya and he’s beat Jamahal Hill; this guy is a champion killer like myself. That type of stuff entices me.”
The comments from Jones stirred up mixed reactions among fans, some of whom labeled him a “duck” for not wanting to face Aspinall. During a recent workout livestream, Jones noticed the comments pouring in. “I see quite a few people in here calling me a duck,” he said, addressing the viewers directly. “I’m a duck, call me a duck, call me a chicken, call me a GOAT, call me a dog. I’m not in high school anymore, guys; I’m a grown man out here chasing his dreams. It’s funny that we live in a world where being called a duck should affect me, guys, come on.”
Meanwhile, Aspinall has been vocal about his interest in facing Jones and has been following his own path. He defended his interim title against Curtis Blaydes and expressed his frustration over Jones’s dismissive comments. In an interview, Aspinall reflected on the champion’s unpredictability. “I think he’s a strange and unpredictable guy, and I don’t think anybody really knows what he wants,” Aspinall said.
Respects Aspinall
Though he respects Jones’s career, Aspinall is eager to take him on. “Even though I want to fight the guy, I’ve never once disrespected Jon Jones and what he’s done in his career,” he explained. “Maybe I did accuse him of being on PEDs, which is a fact, that’s the truth… It’s hard to not respect that legacy apart from the PEDs.”
The British fighter made it clear that a fight against Jones would be a career-defining moment. “I think if you can get that name on your resume as a scalp, that goes a long way,” Aspinall noted. And he had one request if that day ever comes. “All I ask is, like, Dana White saying that he’s the GOAT and he’s pound-for-pound number one. If I fight Jon Jones and beat him, he still has to be pound-for-pound – you can’t start saying he’s old then. You can’t say he’s passed it or he’s over blah blah blah; you can’t do that. If he’s the pound-for-pound GOAT or whatever, keep that same energy when I beat him… That’s what I ask.”
Jon Jones, UFC 309, we are one week away. How do you see it going? Let us know in the comments!
With Jones and Aspinall exchanging remarks, fans are left wondering if this matchup might ever happen.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
