Jon Jones responds to ‘Duck’ accusations: ‘I’m not in high school anymore’
Ahead of his return at UFC 309, Jon Jones has hit out at accusations of him ducking a title unification bout with interim champion, Tom Aspinall — which seemingly have no baring on him as he prepares to take on former gold holder, Stipe Miocic this weekend.
Jones, a former two-time undisputed light heavyweight titleholder and the current heavyweight champion, returns to action this weekend at Madison Square Garden, headlining UFC 309 in a title grudge match with former two-time gold holder, Miocic.
Sidelined since March of last year following a pectoral tendon injury, Rochester native, Jon Jones most recently landed the vacant heavyweight crown with a dominant opening round guillotine choke submission win over French contender, Ciryl Gane.
Jon Jones blasts critics who label him a “duck” ahead of UFC 309
And booking a title pairing with Ohio veteran, Miocic this weekend ahead of a title unification matchup against current interim gold holder, Aspinall — Jones has hit out at critics labelling him a “duck”, in what he believes to be rather juvenial insults pointed in his direction.
“I see quite a few people here calling me a duck,” Jon Jones said during an Instagram Live session. “I’m a duck. Call me a duck, call me a chicken, call me a goat, call me a dog. I’m not in high school anymore, guys. [I’m a] grown man out here chasing his dreams. It’s funny that we really live in a world where being called a duck should affect me. Guys, come on.”
And ahead of his return, Jones has explained why a title unification pairing with Aspinall was unlikely next, claiming he would rather share the Octagon with former two-division champion, Alex Pereira in a “legacy” matchup.
“More than likely not,” Jones told Kevin Iole when asked if he would fight Aspinall after UFC 309. “I feel like Tom Aspinall is, I don’t want to say nobody, but he just hasn’t proven anything. He hasn’t done anything. I understand he won his belt against Sergei, and Sergei just got slaughtered by someone else, so it’s like, I’m not here to gamble someone else making a name off of me.”
