"A backstabbing s**t talker" - Jon Jones launches verbal attack at Ariel Helwani for name-dropping him during Francis Ngannou interview
Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou have exchanged words on multiple occasions over the past several years. Despite this, the two have recently offered praise to one another as it is increasingly unlikely that they will ever clash in the octagon.
'Bones' took issue with mixed martial arts analyst Ariel Helwani for using his name in his recent interview with 'The Predator', claiming that he wasn't supporting his fellow mixed martial artist in his boxing debut against Tyson Fury.
Speaking on The MMA Hour, Helwani discussed Dana White's comments on the bout before stating:
"And Jon Jones, too, was saying you were looking - and look at you now, right? A lot of people were throwing stones your way. It wasn't just Dana. I know he gets a lot of the attention, but a lot of people weren't backing you. Fighters weren't backing you and that, to me, was the part that bothered me the most."
Check out Ariel Helwani's comments on fighters not supporting Francis Ngannou below:
Jones responded to Helwani's Instagram post, accusing the latter of being a backstabber. He said:
"And Jon Jones says you were looking what? You're such a backstabbing s**t talker bro and you wonder why I haven't given you an interview in years @arielhelwani"
Check out a screenshot of Jon Jones' response to Ariel Helwani below:
Helwani retorted in the comments, reminding Jones of the exact words he said about Ngannou. Check out the screenshots shared by @SpinninBackfist below:
Helwani has clashed with several fighters in the past and recently faced similar accusations from light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill. While Ngannou did not address Jones by name, he responded to The MMA Hour host by claiming a lot of UFC fighters did not support him because they were simply there to please Dana White.
Jon Jones shares thoughts on Francis Ngannou's boxing debut
While Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones have traded words in the past, that did not stop the UFC heavyweight champion from praising the former champion for his performance in his boxing debut against Tyson Fury. When asked for his thoughts on the bout on Twitter, 'Bones' responded:
"I thought he did great, I’m glad the fight was competitive. Opens so many doors for everyone in the future."
Check out the tweet below:
Although Ngannou lost the bout via split decision, many viewers felt that he was robbed of a victory. Despite being outlanded 71 to 59 in total punches, 'The Predator' outlanded Fury 37 to 32 in power punches. He also landed the only knockdown of the fight, as a third-round left hook sent 'The Gypsy King' to the canvas. While it is unclear if he will continue his boxing career, the former UFC heavyweight champion received plenty of praise for his performance.