Jon Jones storms out of UFC 309 interview to avoid Tom Aspinall questions

Frank Bonada

Twitter

Author

Publish Date: 11/15/2024

UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones recently made waves by abruptly ending an interview to avoid questions about a potential matchup with interim champion Tom Aspinall.

Jones is currently in the midst of fight week for his first heavyweight title defense against former champion Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. However, even as Jones vs. Miocic takes center stage, the looming figure of UFC interim champion Tom Aspinall stands in the wings. Aspinall’s recent dominant performances, coupled with Miocic’s lengthy absence from the octagon, have led many to consider him the rightful heir to the title should Jones emerge victorious.

Jones, however, has shown little interest in this narrative, repeatedly dismissing the notion of a future super fight with his English counterpart.

Jon Jones walks out of UFC 309 interview with TNT Sports

As the headliner, Jon Jones has a number of UFC 309 pre-fight interviews on his schedule, but the heavyweight champion decided to abruptly change plans.

The tension came to a head recently during a scheduled interview with Adam Catterall of TNT Sports, a UK-based outlet known for spotlighting Aspinall’s success. In a video posted to TNT’s YouTube channel, Jones initially greets Catterall, shaking hands as they prepare to sit down.

However, almost immediately, Jones gets up, stating “I’m not going to do this interview… It’s going to be an Aspinall-fest.”

Later, Jones and Catterall crossed paths again in the lobby, appearing to share a cordial moment. Later, Jones would even sit down for an interview with Catterall’s colleague, Nick Peet. This naturally raises the question as to whether the entire interaction may have simply been a skit for social media.

Regardless of the clip’s authenticity, Jones’s reluctance to entertain the idea of fighting Aspinall is evident. Throughout fight week, the reigning heavyweight champion has reiterated his openness to relinquishing the heavyweight title after the Miocic bout in favor of “fun” matchups with fighters like Alex Pereira, Derrick Lewis, and Jamahal Hill.

For now, Jones remains focused on the Miocic fight, but Aspinall’s unprecedented success casts an unmistakable shadow over the entire heavyweight division.