Tom Aspinall has reacted to Jon Jones rejecting a face-off picture with him.
The pair met at the Arnold Sports Festival in Birmingham, England, as Aspinall touched Bones on the shoulder. Jones responded by removing the hand, after which Aspinall requested a face-off picture. The UFC Heavyweight Champion offered a side-by-side photo instead, stating he ‘hoped’ to fight the Brit in the future. Aspinall later responded to the incident, saying he never intended to disrespect Jones. Looking back, Aspinall felt Jones became defensive because it may have promoted a future fight.
Aspinall Reacts
“I wanted to face off. Jon’s smart, you know? … Jon will not say anywhere — you can’t find it, it’s not out there — that he will fight me. He won’t say it anywhere publicly. He won’t say it. You can’t find a clip, a quote, nothing, anywhere, of Jon Jones saying, ‘One day I’m going to fight Tom Aspinall, and I’m going to freaking beat the brakes off him.
“That’s what I’m going to do.’ That doesn’t exist. He doesn’t want any evidence, anywhere, of him agreeing to any kind of fight with me, because he doesn’t want to go back on that. He doesn’t want to do a face-off because that promotes a potential fight,” Aspinall said
Jones is recovering from an injury preventing his UFC 295 title defense against Stipe Miocic. Jones underwent surgery to address a pectoral muscle injury, followed by further surgery on his elbow. During this period, Aspinall wanted the UFC to strip Jones so he could face Miocic for the full title. Dana White refused, leaving Aspinall to wait on the sidelines.
Will It Happen?
The Brit stopped Sergei Pavlovich in the first round, winning the interim belt in his last fight at UFC 295 last November. Jones has had face-offs with other fighters, such as Francis Ngannou. That has created the narrative that he is ducking Aspinall. Since Ngannou is not with the UFC, Jones does not risk anything by promoting such a fight.
Dana White has already said he will never work with Ngannou again following his UFC departure, nor will he do a co-promotion with the PFL to make that fight. There are also reports that the winner of Jones-Miocic could retire. That has left Aspinall knowing he may never get the fight. But he was focused on doing what was best for his career, regardless of who he faced.
“Honestly, I don’t spend my days thinking about Jon Jones. On the contrary to what people think, I’m not desperate for it. That fight doesn’t define my career. It would be great, it would be nice, but I’ve got other ways to prove myself. I’m going to be around this sport for at least another five years.
“At least. Minimum. So it would be great. If I get the fight, fantastic. But I’m not like, ‘Oh, look at what Jon’s done again! It’s never going to happen! Oh my God!’ That’s Jon’s business. Jon can do his thing. If we fight, great. If we don’t, great as well. All respect to Jon Jones, one of the GOATs of the sport,” Aspinall stated
Comments
More must-reads: