Aspinall calls Jones-Miocic 'most disputed' title fight
UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall is still coming for Jon Jones just days before the heavyweight champion's fight against Stipe Miocic, calling Saturday's UFC 309 bout at Madison Square Garden "far from undisputed."
"What I've got against this fight, in particular, is it's contested for an undisputed heavyweight title," Aspinall said in a video published Wednesday on his YouTube channel. "This is the most disputed title that you could possibly get because there are two champions. And one of the champions, Jon Jones, is avoiding the other champion, me."
Aspinall added that he wouldn't say anything bad about Jones' or Miocic's careers but poked fun at their ages, calling this weekend's main event a feature of "two old farts" in a bout "nobody that I can see really gives a shit about." Jones is 37, while Miocic is 42.
The interim champion also called Jones a "politician" who likes to control the narrative of what fans think, citing "Bones" avoiding a blockbuster fight against former UFC champion Francis Ngannou for three years as an example. Aspinall added that he isn't surprised when Jones takes fights where he's at an advantage.
Jones has maintained that he'll unlikely fight Aspinall after UFC 309 and could retire. However, he teased a potential bout with light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira on Monday.
Aspinall, who's serving as the backup fighter for Saturday's main event, owns an 8-1 UFC record since debuting in the promotion in 2020. His lone loss came when he suffered a significant knee injury in the opening round to Curtis Blaydes in 2022. He avenged the blemish with a first-round KO against Blaydes at UFC 304 in July.
Despite the insults, Aspinall said he has no ill will toward Jones but stands in the way of his dream of becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion.
"I want the belt, and he's got it. That's all I'm after," Aspinall said.