It seems like the UFC heavyweight drama never seems to stop as this time, Jon Jones, the UFC heavyweight champion, is drawing a lot of flak for dodging interim champ Tom Aspinall, which according to many, is more childish than a legend would typically be. Despite Aspinall’s relentless campaign for a title unification bout, Jones has brushed him off, mocking fans and the fighter while hinting at retirement or chasing irrelevant matchups. His recent call-out of Francis Ngannou, who’s no longer with the UFC, has only fueled the accusations of ducking, as Aspinall remains the clear desiring challenger. Jones antics’, including dismissing a petition with over 200k signatures to strip his title, may show that he’s more focused on defending his ego than the actual belt.
The MMA community is slowly into coming in terms and is fed up of the drama that Jones has caused. His refusal to engage, coupled with social media taunts, preference for a Ngannou fight who isn’t even in the UFC, has painted him as a champion who’s been avoiding all the responsibilities of being a true champion in the UFC. At 37, Jones prioritizing hype over honor, risks overshadowing his historic career, leaving fans wanting the fight that he’ll not give them.
Ariel Helwani has voiced the MMA community’s growing frustration with Jon Jones, accusing the UFC heavyweight champion of holding the division hostage by avoiding a title unification bout with Tom Aspinall.
On the Ariel Helwani show, Helwani criticized Jones for prioritizing personal gain over the sport, noting that Jones demanded a high payout for the Aspinall fight, only to back out when UFC met his price. “Jones thinks he’s cooking with all of these right here (his tweets). He thinks he’s having the greatest run on twitter. What’s really happening is, he’s cooking his own legacy right now.” said Helwani on the Ariel Helwani Show, “He’s making a mockery of his legacy. Show me a great champion, show me a great from Jordan, to Tom Brady, to Muhammad Ali, to Lemieux, to Gretzky, show me someone who acted like this in their final chapter. Show me who refused to pay it forward.”
Instead, Jones has called out Francis Ngannou, who’s with PFL, and has mocked the fans who wanted his belt stripped via petition. Helwani argues that this delay’s Tom Aspinall’s career and has been urging the UFC to move forward, possibly by stripping Jones.
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