UFC icon makes opinion clear on Jon Jones allegedly "ducking" Tom Aspinall: "I don't think that's what a champion should do"
Jon Jones has sparked debate by expressing reluctance to fight interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. Ahead of his upcoming UFC 309 showdown with Stipe Miocic, Jones has suggested that he would be more interested in facing light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira over Aspinall.
With Aspinall holding an impressive 8-1 UFC record—each win coming by knockout or submission within two rounds—many see the bout as the next logical matchup.
Appearing on a recent episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer, UFC veteran Matt Brown weighed in on the situation. He stated that Jones is “not scared” of Aspinall but is “playing the game” by seeking a higher-profile fight with Pereira.
"Jon’s not scared. I don’t believe that for a second. Is he playing the game and choosing not to fight Tom Aspinall? Absolutely. It’s the proper fight to make. I don’t think there’s any question about that. He wants the bigger fight with Alex Pereira. I don’t think that’s what a champion should do but that’s what every champion is doing now, right? They’re all wanting to move up a weight class. They’re all wanting to fight the big fights. Sean O’Malley wanted to fight [Ilia Topuria]. That’s what every champion is doing now.”
He further noted:
“We are in the business of prizefighting. We go for the biggest prize. Tom Aspinall, unfortunately is not the biggest prize. Is he the most deserving? Should he be the next fight? Absolutely. He’s not the biggest prize.”
Check out Matt Brown's comment below:
Jon Jones reacts to custom lion-patterned shorts ahead of UFC 309 title defense
Jon Jones has expressed excitement over his custom fight shorts ahead of his UFC 309 title defense.
The new shorts feature a lion emblem and elements close to Jones' heart, including his favorite Bible verse, Philippians 4:13. Upon seeing the shorts, a visibly thrilled Jones said:
"The really cool. That's really, really cool. I'm so excited to [wear] there. The lion. It's got my favorite bible verse. It's got the cross. The last name. Let's go. I'm probably gonna wear them to sleep tonight, not gonna lie."
Check out Jon Jones' reaction below: