“IT DOESN’T WORK THAT WAY” – JON JONES COUNTERS TOM ASPINALL’S CHALLENGE FOLLOWING UFC INTERIM HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION CALL-OUT
It appears that Tom Aspinall and Jon Jones are engaged in a war of words on social media, despite the likelihood of a fight between them not happening anytime soon. Aspinall, the interim heavyweight champion, posted a video on social media humorously aging himself while waiting for a potential bout with Jones. In response, Jones criticized Aspinall, claiming he is unfamiliar with 90% of Aspinall’s résumé. Aspinall fired back, accusing Jones of letting his ego run wild.
The ongoing exchange follows Aspinall’s persistent call-outs for a fight with Jones, dating back to his interim heavyweight title win at UFC 295. However, with Jones undergoing elbow surgery and a scheduled “legacy fight” with Stipe Miocic in 2024, the prospect of a bout between Aspinall and Jones seems unlikely in the near future.
Despite the banter on social media, it remains to be seen if this verbal sparring will eventually lead to a real-life showdown between the two fighters.
Jon Jones is expressing his frustration and asserting his dominance in response to Tom Aspinall’s call-outs. He emphasizes that he became a champion at the age of 23 and questions Aspinall’s credibility in pretending to have been chasing him since the age of 30. Jones claims to be unfamiliar with 90% of Aspinall’s résumé, contrasting it with his own career where he has been a constant presence in highlighting UFC events.
Jones reflects on the unpredictable nature of the world, acknowledging that people can quickly try to replace or discredit your work. He encourages others to be relentless in their pursuits, to let their work speak for itself, and to be undeniable in whatever capacity they choose. The message is one of self-confidence and the importance of hard work and consistency in achieving success.
In response, Aspinall said, “Jon, you’re letting your ego run wild here, mate.”
I’m not trying to minimize your impressive resume. Much better than mine. Since you’re regarded as the greatest fighter of all time, that is WHY I want to defeat you. Surely you can understand that?”
Jon Jones’ most recent fight was in March 2023, where he emerged victorious against Ciryl Gane at UFC 285. However, he has been dealing with setbacks since then, having pulled out of a fight with Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 due to a pectoral injury. Currently, he is also recovering from elbow surgery, a decision he made to address the lingering issue during his extended time away from the octagon.
Jones provided an update on his condition on social media, mentioning that the elbow surgery has a roughly 10-week healing process. He sees this period as an opportunity to address multiple health concerns simultaneously, as he is already sidelined for months due to the pec surgery. Despite the setbacks, Jones maintains a positive outlook, emphasizing the importance of patience in the recovery process and expressing his commitment to moving forward in his career.