New York City — UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones changed his tune somewhat while speaking to Joe Rogan following his UFC 309 win over Stipe Miocic on Saturday.
Jones (28-1, 1NC) finished the man with the most heavyweight title defenses in the third round, then suggested to Rogan that he might, just might, be open to fighting Tom Aspinall, if the money was right.
All throughout Fight Week in New York ahead of the Madison Square Garden show, Jones had downplayed fighting the interim champ. Aspinall was an “asshole,” according to Jones. The fight didn’t do enough for his legacy. So on and so forth.
After appearing to soften his stance with Rogan, Jones was once more dismissive of the Aspinall fight speaking to media outlets backstage during the UFC 309 post-fight press conference.
“I’m not really worried about the Tom fight, I’m really worried about the [Alex] Pereira fight. That’s what I want to do. That’s what I want to do, and I think if the UFC wants to have me back, then I think that’s the fight they’ll make,” stated Jones. “I’ve been really clear about my intentions. That’s what I want, and I just feel like anybody would understand at this point. I’ll retire the heavyweight belt if I have to. It’s like dude, give the guy what he wants at the end of the day. And I’m not talking to Dana directly, I’m just, I feel like I’m at a place now where I take what I find to be super-fights. I don’t want to fight dangerous up-and-comers anymore, I want to fight dangerous, established champions.”
“So Tom can have the heavyweight championship, I don’t really care about it,” Jones continued. “My value doesn’t lie in belts anymore, I’ve created something much bigger. I want Pereira.”
Dana White expressed reluctance at booking Jones vs. Poatan during his own post-fight press conference appearance. Mainly due to Jones size and skillset. Jones, however, feels Pereira’s power would carry over to heavyweight.
“Styles make match-ups, and I’m sure Pereira has knocked out many heavyweights in his day,” suggested Jones. “He has knockout power that transcends, it’s bigger than weight. Pereira is special. And for me, it’d just be worth my while fighting against Pereira. People can call me a duck and a chicken, I’m going to go home and cash a massive check.”
Jones is dead set enough on the fight that he’d be willing to walk away from the sport if he doesn’t get it.
“If it doesn’t line up, then professing my love for Jesus in front of everybody tonight and telling the world how proud I am to be an American champion, and fighting in front of my president, man, if that was my last fight ever, then I’m cool with that. That was the way to do it.” After pointing out his Trump impression, he added “I think one of the really good things about negotiating is being willing to walk away from a deal. And that’s the deal I want, and if that’s not what the fans want, I guess I’ll say sayonara.”
Before all was said and done, however, Jon Jones did open the door to the Aspinall fight just a crack, while noting that he felt the Brit’s campaign for the fight had been annoying.
“I find him annoying, and I just don’t like him. And at the end of the day, if I give him the opportunity to fight me, I want to be so compensated. I want that f*ck you money, honestly. And that’s just what it is. That’s what it is. Or else, my life is perfect without him. I don’t need him at all. And he needs me. That’s a good place to be in a negotiation.”
Watch the full UFC 309 post-fight press conference appearance by Jon Jones above.
