Jones seeking 'f--k you money' to face Aspinall
Jon Jones wants the UFC to make it worth his while to step into the Octagon again - especially if it's against Tom Aspinall.
After finishing Stipe Miocic in his first heavyweight title defense at UFC 309 on Saturday, Jones said it'd take a "very, very high" amount of money for him to forgo a superfight against light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira to unify the belts with Aspinall, the interim heavyweight champ.
"If I give (Aspinall) the opportunity to fight me, I want to be so compensated - I want to say I want that f--k you money," Jones said at the postfight press conference. "Honestly. That's just what it is. ... My life is perfect without him. I don't need him at all, and he needs me."
During fight week, Jones was adamant he had no interest in facing Aspinall and went as far as to say he'd vacate the heavyweight title to set up a fight with Pereira. However, UFC CEO Dana White said he'd only make the Jones-Pereira matchup if the heavyweight champion fought and beat Aspinall first.
Jones hinted at retirement several times leading up to Saturday's fight with Miocic, including Wednesday when he said he'd walk away from the sport if the UFC didn't want to book the Pereira fight.
Jones said in the Octagon on Saturday that he'd likely continue his career - if the UFC pays him well.
White said said at the postfight press conference that Jones "will be" paid adequately to face Aspinall.
"I know that Dana wants what he wants. He wants some big fights," Jones said on the postfight show. "I just wanna see if he's willing to compensate me. I see these guys out there making some really, really big bucks - Jake Paul and Mike Tyson and all that type of stuff. ... If he could consider me in that conversation, then I'd love to stick around. But I'm really ready for my life to be changed in a much different way."
Jones added that his preference is still to face Pereira, even if it isn't for the heavyweight belt.
"I'm not really worried about the Tom fight," Jones said. "I'm really worried about the Pereira fight. That's what I want to do. If the UFC wants to have me back, then I think that's the fight they'll make."
He added: "Tom can have the heavyweight championship. I don't really care about it. ... I've created something much bigger. I want Pereira."
White said he lost even more interest in Jones-Pereira after seeing Jones dominate Miocic. The UFC CEO said he believes Jones would be "too big" for Pereira, a former middleweight. However, he'd at least entertain the matchup if they both want it.
"It just doesn't make sense to make that fight," White said. "If they both want it bad enough and they're both f-----g hounding me or something, maybe I would do it. ... And I'm sure the fans want to see it, I'm sure you want to see it. I guess we'll talk about it."
White said he thinks Jones-Aspinall "would be the biggest heavyweight fight in UFC history by a long shot."
"If that doesn't interest Jon Jones, then I don't know what else we can do," Aspinall said on the postfight show. "Everybody knows that this is the fight to make. ... This is the fight that has to happen now."
Jones said he'd be satisfied if UFC 309 ended up being his final fight.
"If that was my last fight ever, then I'm cool with that," Jones said. "That was the way to do it. ... I think one of the really good things about negotiating is being willing to walk away from a deal. That's the deal that I want (the Pereira fight), and if that's not what the fans want, then I guess I'll say sayonara."