Jon Jones is digging his ft within the sand in the case of preventing Tom Aspinall.
The present heavyweight champ is ready to defend in opposition to Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 on Nov. 16 — his first title protection since capturing the title over 20 months in the past. In the meantime, Aspinall gained the interim heavyweight title and defended it in Jones’ absence.
Whereas it’s customary for the champ to face the interim titleholder in a unification bout, Jones has no real interest in it. In an interview with the NY Put up, Jones was requested if Aspinall may do something to vary his thoughts.
“Actually nothing,” Jones stated. “I discover him annoying and he simply… I’ve been right here for thus lengthy, and he simply bought to the UFC not too way back. If he wished to struggle me, he may’ve been right here. Like the place have you ever been all of this time?”
Aspinall captured interim gold with a first-round knockout of Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 a yr in the past, after which ran over Curtis Blaydes in a title protection at UFC 304 in July.
Jones sees that Aspinall has expertise, however he feels he’s already given loads of fighters possibilities to make their names off of him.
“On the finish of the day he has no actual standout legacy,” Jones stated. “I believe the one man he beat was Andrei Arlovski. Andrei was very previous on the time. He actually has nothing that entices me. Nothing. He jogs my memory of a bunch of different up and comers that I fought that it does nothing for my legacy. Actually nothing.”
Jones has hinted at retirement heading into the bout with Miocic — who returns to the octagon after getting brutally knocked out by Francis Ngannou almost 4 years in the past.
There may be one factor Aspinall may do to get Jones’ consideration, however that’s in long-term planning. The short-term objectives for “Bones” is making as a lot cash as he can in fights that can appeal to the largest audiences — together with present mild heavyweight champ Alex Pereira.
“Perhaps if he goes on and will get near my one report, perhaps I’d be enticed to come back again and see,” Jones defined. “However I extremely doubt he’ll try this. Pereira although, that’s someone that pursuits me. Pereira has these nice sagas with Adesanya… he’s beat Jamahal Hill, this man is a champion killer like myself. That kind of stuff entices me. We’re each 37, we each just about weigh the identical proper now. That kind of stuff entices me.
“I’m in search of fights that can, financially, put me in a special class. I’m going for fights that folks will have a look at 10 years from now and be like, ‘Jon Jones actually fought the who’s who. The killers. I’m executed with the blokes which might be attempting to construct names for themselves. The Francis Ngannou’s of the world, the Pereira’s of the world, confirmed guys, that’s the one factor that may construct my legacy at this level.”
