Interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall picked a creative way to poke fun at Jon Jones ahead of the latter’s title defense at UFC 309.
Tom Aspinall is fully embracing his backup role at UFC 309 in New York City, but he’s utilizing every opportunity to jab Jon Jones for refusing to face him in the upcoming pay-per-view headliner.
Aspinall, who successfully defended the interim UFC heavyweight title at UFC 304, will weigh in as the backup fighter to Jones vs. Stipe Miocic this week. If anything happens with either Jones or Miocic, Aspinall is ready to fill in, although that doesn’t necessarily mean one of them will stick around to fight him at UFC 309.
Aspinall and Jones have traded barbs on social media for months leading up to UFC 309. Things have gotten personal between the two sides, and Jones most recently claimed Aspinall “hasn’t done anything” worthy of a lineal heavyweight title shot.
Many fight fans believe Jones is ducking Aspinall after Jones teased a potential retirement after UFC 309. Fully embracing this narrative, Aspinall drew a chorus of laughs after sharing a new purchase for his dog.
Tom Aspinall buys dog a toy duck in latest Jon Jones jab
Aspinall purchased a toy duck for his dog to feast upon, as he shared on his Instagram story this weekend. Not only that, but he included a song in the post aimed at accusing Jones of running away from him.
“Just bought this for the [dog] she will absolutely love it,” Aspinall captioned.
Aspinall’s post comes after Jones addressed a slew of fans accusing him of ducking the interim champion during a recent Instagram live session. He seemed to brush aside the characterizations from fans, as he focuses on his potential UFC finale against Miocic.
UFC CEO Dana White remains hopeful that the Jones vs. Miocic winner will stick around to fight Aspinall. But, Jones has appeared disinterested in this plan and has entertained another big name for one more potential fight after UFC 309.
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Tom Aspinall responds to Jon Jones’ recent dismissals of potential fight after UFC 309
Aspinall won the interim UFC heavyweight title by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295. The short-notice interim title bout was put together on days’ notice following Jones’ withdrawal from the main event due to injury.
One year after getting injured, Jones will make his long-awaited heavyweight title defense this weekend against Miocic, barring any last-second incidents. Jones captured the then-vacant heavyweight belt by submitting Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 last year.
Miocic returns to the Octagon for the first time since a knockout loss to Francis Ngannou at UFC 260. It was his second heavyweight title defense of his second reign, after defeating Daniel Cormier in their trilogy at UFC 252.
Aspinall has won three fights in a row since a leg injury against Curtis Blaydes in 2022 postponed his heavyweight rise. He got his revenge against Blaydes in their UFC 304 rematch, finishing Blaydes just minutes into the fight.
Jones vs. Aspinall remains on the minds of fight fans around the world, despite the upcoming UFC 309 headliner. While the fight is currently in doubt of taking place, Aspinall is doing everything he can to coerce Jones into facing him.