Jon Jones is pushing back against accusations that heās ducking Tom Aspinall.
The UFC heavyweight champion hasnāt fought since a November 2024 win over Stipe Miocic. Since then itās been unclear whether heād fight again against interim champion Tom Aspinall or retire and ride off into the sunset. The lack of clarity on the situation is a big part of whatās upsetting fans, and now āBonesā is claiming thatās the fault of the UFC.
Jones is currently in Thailand filming a Russian TUF clone, but took the time to respond to one X (formerly Twitter) user suggesting he was about to be stripped.
āStripped?ā he wrote. āLol do I come across as the type of person who cares about things like that?ā
This is why we heard rumors of an interim title fight with Gane. Plus they really needed a main event at international fight week. Now they have it.
Anthony Smith believes Jon Jones is toying with Tom Aspinall.
For well over a year now, interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has been chasing a unification bout against Jones for the undisputed heavyweight title. But despite Aspinallās repeated calls for the bout, it has yet to come to fruition. Aspinall even recently surpassed the record as the longest reigning interim champion in UFC history, and all this waiting around is clearly starting to get to him. And thatās exactly what Jones wants, at least, so says Anthony Smith.
āI have a lot of love and respect for Tom Aspinall, but if Iām Tom, Iām probably going to be a little quieter,ā Smith said on UFC Live. āI think that heās poking, and heās prodding, and heās trying to attack Jonās ego a little bit, and force Jon into this ego competition where Jon says, āIām not afraid of you! I want to go fight now!ā Jon is not going to do that. Jon Jones, in every single part of his life, has to be in control of it. Jon is a master manipulator, and heās a master at the mind games that are behind this sport. Heās been doing it for so many years, against the best guys in the world.ā
Smith certainly has some experience with Jones. āBonesā is one of the most decorated champions in UFC history, and among those accolades is a light heavyweight title defense over Smith in 2019. And given his experience, Smith believes Aspinall should change his approach, because heās playing right into Jonesās hands.
āSo I understand that Tom Aspinall has this fighter mindset where he wants to say, āIām better than you, and you think youāre better than me, so Iām going to keep attacking that.ā Jon doesnāt care about any of that,ā Smith said. āThe person who cares the least in every negotiation wins. Jon Jones does not care what Tom Aspinall wants, and in fact, wants to do the complete opposite of what Tom Aspinall wants. If Jon and Tom want the exact same thing, then Jon doesnāt want it anymore. Thatās how Jon is going to operate.
āItās one of the most exhausting things that Iāve ever had to deal with, and I have to respect it. Jon is the master at emotionally and mentally exhausting people, and you can see it in Tom Aspinall already. Heās starting to get tired.ā
Either Tom Aspinall needs to stop giving a shit about Jon Jones or the UFC needs to strip Jones and have Aspinall fight whoever the number three guy is for the belt.
THANKS @Arod_CTT !!!
Anthony Smith thinks UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones is playing mind games with Tom Aspinall.
Itās been a long wait for interim champ Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC), whoās yet to get his title-unification bout with Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC). Although UFC CEO Dana White is confident that the matchup materializes this year, Smith advises Aspinall to stop provoking Jones.
Aspinall has continuously accused Jones of ducking him, and Smith thinks his approach will only continue further delaying the matchup. Smith has first-hand experience fighting Jones after lost a unanimous decision in their 2019 light heavyweight title fight at UFC 235.
āI have a lot of love and respect for Tom Aspinall, but if Iām Tom, Iām probably going to be a little quieter,ā Smith told ESPN. "I think that heās poking, and heās prodding, and heās trying to attack Jon Jonesā ego a little bit, and force Jon into this ego competition where Jon says, āIām not afraid of you. I want to go fight now.ā Jon is not going to do that. Jon Jones, in every single part of his life, has to be in control of it. Jon is a master manipulator, and he is a master at mind games that are behind this sport. Heās been doing it for years against the best guys in the world. I understand Aspinall has this fighter mindset where he wants to say, āIām better than you, and you think youāre better than me, so Iām going to keep attacking that.ā
āJon doesnāt care about any of that. The person who cares the least in every negotiation, wins. Jon Jones does not care what Tom Aspinall wants and, in fact, wants to do the complete opposite of what Tom Aspinall wants. If Jon and Tom want the exact same thing, then Jon doesnāt want it anymore, and thatās how Jon is going to operate. Itās one of the most exhausting things that Iāve ever had to deal with, and I have to respect it. Jon is the master at emotionally and mentally exhausting people, and you can see it in Tom Aspinall a little bit already. Heās starting to get tired.ā
Jones recently bragged about living his best life as Aspinall continues to chomp at the bit. āBonesā is currently filming Season 2 of āALF Reality,ā a Russian reality television show resembling āThe Ultimate Fighterā where heās coaching opposite fellow UFC star Nate Diaz in Thailand.
Smtih is wrong againā¦Aspinall is being played by Dana, not Jon. Sounds like Jon has been transparent with the UFC about taking time off to do coke and bang hookers in thailand. Its Danaās ego that he will āget this fight doneā as the reason why he wont move on from it and give Tom another opponent for the undisputed. Dana needs to let go. He failed with Jon vs Francis and this will probably fail too.