Jon Jones‘ upcoming fight against Stipe Miocic has been a major point of focus in the MMA world, but a potential showdown with interim champion Tom Aspinall is generating significant buzz as well. Aspinall earned the interim title after a dominant victory over Sergei Pavlovich, following a delay in the original UFC 295 headliner between ‘Bones’ and Miocic due to Jones’ injury. Since then, Aspinall has repeatedly called for a title shot, but Jones has remained focused on his fight with Miocic, causing Aspinall to accuse Jones of “ducking.”

Jones has largely remained silent on the accusations until recently when he addressed them in an interview with Kevin Iole just days before his UFC 309 showdown with Miocic. During the candid conversation, Jon Jones questioned Aspinall’s relatively short tenure in the UFC, highlighting that while Aspinall only made his debut in 2020, he has been competing at the highest level of MMA for far longer.

Jones remarked, “If he becomes the best of all time, then calling me a duck would make sense. Right now? Way too early. My challenge to him: build a career like mine. Winning 5? Hard enough. 17? I seriously doubt it.” 

Throughout his illustrious UFC career, Jon Jones has fought 23 times. He became champion after just 8 fights in the promotion and has since successfully defended his title 16 times. Now, another title defense against Stipe Miocic is on the horizon, set to take place on November 16 at Madison Square Garden.

Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic engage in verbal ear ahead of UFC 309

With the spotlight surrounding his rumored final fight at UFC 309 being overshadowed by the Tom Aspinall – Jon Jones verbal war, former heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic has taken control of the situation. As the 42-year-old Ohio native’s potential farewell bout approaches, Miocic is determined to generate enough buzz to make it a must-watch event for fans.

Recently, Miocic took a bold step, distancing himself from his previously respectful relationship with Jon Jones. The feud has now heated up, as Miocic took a dig at Jones in an interview, calling him a “b-tch” in a disrespectful manner. When the comments reached Jones, he fired back with a warning: “See the disrespect? You’re calling me a bitch, Stipe. The disrespect didn’t have to happen. You’re gonna wish you didn’t say that.”

This is the first time in months that both fighters have exchanged heated words, with all eyes now shifting to the upcoming Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic heavyweight title fight. What’s your take on Jon Jones’ remarks? Do you believe his challenge to Aspinall is genuine, considering Aspinall is the interim champion and has earned the right to fight for the title? Share your thoughts below.