As fans enter their final countdown to UFC 309: Jones vs Miocic, interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall continues to goad both ‘Bones’ and Dana White over his ‘glazing’ of the undisputed champion.
Whilst Jon Jones might be teasing that he could overlook the interim champ in favor of a superfight with Alex Pereira, the British juggernaut is hoping that the UFC doesn’t perform another promotional U-turn after he claims undisputed gold.
Tom Aspinall wants everyone to ‘keep that same energy’ when he beats Jones
With just over one week to go before Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic throwdown in the main event of UFC 309, ‘Bones’ continues to tease that he could overlook Tom Aspinall in favor of fighting the light heavyweight superstar next.
“I think he’s a strange and unpredictable guy, and I don’t think anybody really knows [what he wants],” stated the British fan-favorite during a recent interview with VechtersBazen, as he called the undisputed champion “a bit of an odd guy” over his recent comments.
“Even though I want to fight the guy, I’ve never once disrespected Jon Jones and what’s he done in his career – 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.”
Despite those failed tests, it’s no secret that UFC CEO Dana White still believes that Jon Jones remains not only the number one pound-for-pound best MMA fighter in the world but also the Greatest of All Time.
Aspinall hopes that the White, in addition to the broader MMA fanbase, won’t make yet another U-turn regarding Jones’ skillset and legacy when he eventually gets his chance to fight for the undisputed title.
“I think if you can get that name on your resume as a scalp, that goes a long way… But 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 mocks Tom Aspinall over his ‘legacy’ as he teases Poatan could be next
In a recent interview with Kevin Iole, Jones stated that it was “more than likely not” going to be the Manchester native who he fights next, should he defeat Miocic at Madison Square Garden next weekend.
“I feel like Tom Aspinall is, I don’t want to say ‘nobody’, but he just hasn’t proven anything. He hasn’t done anything – I understand that he won his belt against Sergei [Pavlovich], Sergei just got slaughtered by someone else.
“So I’m not here to gamble someone else making a name off of me,” claimed Jones, as he instead suggested that his final bout could come against light heavyweight superstar Alex Pereira.
“If there would to be a fight with a guy that is still on the UFC roster that would be not only financially worth it, but legacy worth it, it would be Alex Pereira.
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“Alex Pereira and I, we’re both 37 years old… Right now, I weigh about 235, I’m an incredibly light heavyweight… That fight would go much farther on my legacy than a young man who is cool today, and maybe gone tomorrow.”
Aspinall would respond to Jones’ remarks by posting a short video compilation of his outstanding UFC career to date – garnering hundreds of thousands of views in just a few short hours.
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