Jon Jones walked out of an interview over fears he would be asked questions about Tom Aspinall.
Jones will do battle with Stipe Miocic at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night for the heavyweight title in a clash that will see two of the best heavyweights of all time go head to head.
It is a fight that was supposed to happen last year, but Jones picked up a pectoral injury and was sidelined for a number of months. The rearranged fight will finally take place this weekend.
The bout is one that has caught the eye of fans due to what is at stake, but others have been thinking of what could be next in the form of a potential – and much-desired – between Jones and Aspinall.
While Jones is the heavyweight champion, Aspinall claimed the interim belt last year when the holder of the main title was out injured. Usually the two fighters would then clash, but that hasn’t happened yet.
And Jones wasn’t having any of it before an interview with TNT Sports’ Adam Catterall, deciding he didn’t want to talk to the reporter despite entering the room and preparing.
Jon Jones walked out of an interview over fears he would be asked about Tom Aspinall
Jones initially entered the room for the interview but decided to leave before sitting down
Jones is preparing to take on Stipe Miocic at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night
In the video, shared on social media, Jones could be seen entering the room and shaking hands with one member of staff before meeting Catterall.
As the duo prepared to sit down, Jones seemed to be having second thoughts, and looked to the corner before saying: ‘Hey, I’m not going to do this interview.’
He added: ‘You know, because it’s going to be an Aspinall fest. I’m not going to do it,’ before leaving the room.
The walking in a corridor, he approached Catterall, and said: ‘Hey bro, nothing personal. I see how close you guys are. Common sense tells me what type of questions I’m just going to get asked.’
Jones tore a pectoral muscle last year in the build-up to his fight with Miocic, resulting in a lengthy spell out injured.
While Jones was out, meanwhile, Aspinall won the interim title by defeating Sergei Pavlovich, and then successfully defended it against Curtis Blaydes in July this year.
He would usually be next in line to fight Jones, but, because the bout with Miocic was already arranged, he has had to wait. And Jones is reluctant to do battle, even threatening to vacate his belt before he fights Aspinall.
He has never lost a fight in his career inside to octagon, winning the title back in March 2023 when he beat Ciryl Gane for the vacant belt.
Aspinall is next in line to face Jones for his heavyweight title having won the interim title
Jones approached TNT Sports interviewer Adam Catterall after the bout to inform him why
‘There’s a part of me that does [want to compete with him], but if I’m being completely honest, I feel like Tom’s been such an a**hole that I don’t want to do business with him,’ Jones said. ‘His fans have been so annoying.
‘Obviously, you don’t get this far getting affected by fans and whatnot, but he’s just an a**hole. He’s 30, so he’s from this influencer generation where you hop online, t-shirt sales, and all that. I’m past that type of stuff. If you had a little bit more respect, maybe we could’ve worked something out.
‘This is a business, and fighting me gives him an opportunity to change his life forever. I don’t even want to give him the opportunity, he just played his cards wrong with me.
‘I’m three years away from being a 40-year-old, grown man. The press conference, going through the whole shebang with him, I’d just rather not do.’
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