Tom Aspinall deliberate to make his presence felt on the UFC 309 press convention on Thursday, however he was informed he couldn’t go.
The UFC interim heavyweight champion has been an enormous storyline added to the Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic heavyweight championship essential occasion this Saturday at Madison Sq. Backyard. After efficiently weighing in because the backup, Aspinall appeared on the UFC 309 Morning Weigh-In show. Daniel Cormier informed Aspinall he ought to’ve “requested to be on the press convention,” and the interim champ corrected him.
“Wait, wait, I’ve obtained pull you up there, DC, a bit of bit as a result of I requested to be on the press convention,” Aspinall informed Daniel Cormier. “I used to be informed no. I used to be making an attempt to go. I obtained blacklisted from the press convention.”
Jones was slated to make his first heavyweight title protection in opposition to Miocic at UFC 295 a yr in the past, however an damage scratched him from the bout. Aspinall went on to face Sergei Pavlovich for the interim belt, which Aspinall gained with a vicious first-round stoppage.
Since then, the vast majority of the MMA neighborhood has been clamoring for Jones vs. Aspinall in a unification bout. Aspinall did go on to defend his title, stopping Curtis Blaydes within the opening spherical at July’s UFC 304 occasion. Nonetheless, the UFC booked Jones vs. Miocic, regardless of fixed head-scratching from followers and pundits alike. Jones has even stated on a number of events that he’s not all for preventing Aspinall, he’d choose a cash battle with gentle heavyweight champion Alex Pereira.
Din Thomas requested Aspinall if he believed what quite a lot of others do: Is Jones ducking a battle with him?
“Sure,” Aspinall stated. “Yeah he’s. He positively is. I feel that there’s simply a better path for him, and I perceive it. I do perceive it utterly, perceive that there’s larger fights on the market for him with means much less danger, and far more cash. I perceive it. However in all honesty, do I feel he’s ducking me? Completely.”
Lots has been made about Jones’ battle week persona, most notably shutting Aspinall out at each flip. Aspinall appears confused by the entire thing as a result of there was a a lot less complicated path to take, however now wonders if there’s an opportunity that Jones is enjoying us all, and can the truth is name for a battle with Aspinall if he’s victorious on Saturday night time.
“He may’ve had the simplest cop out ever and simply stated I’m simply specializing in Stipe this week,” Aspinall stated. “That’s what I might’ve carried out. That’s what I do each time, to be trustworthy. That’s what most fighters do. We don’t need to talk about different fighters, we need to give attention to the battle in entrance of us, and that might’ve been the simplest factor for him to say this week is simply, I’m not speaking about Tom, I’m targeted on Stipe and that’s it.
“However he hasn’t stated that, which makes me assume, is he simply trolling everyone? I don’t know Jon. I don’t know him in any respect. However can he be that dumb and simply flat out say no in entrance of everyone? I don’t know. I feel it is likely to be a way to push the battle down the road or one thing. I do not know.”
