Jon Jones slams ‘Backstabbing’ Ariel Helwani for name-Dropping Him During Ngannou Interview
Jon Jones took exception to Ariel Helwani using his name during an interview with Francis Ngannou on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour.
Following his impressive professional boxing debut against Tyson Fury in Riyadh, Ngannou joined Helwani on the show to discuss his closely-contested split decision loss to ‘The Gypsy King’ and what could potentially come next for the former UFC star. During the course of their conversation, Helwani asked if ‘The Predator’ had a message for any of his naysayers, specifically naming UFC CEO Dana White and the promotions’ reigning heavyweight titleholder Jon Jones.
“And Jon Jones, too, was saying you were looking – and look at you now, right? A lot of people were throwing stones your way,” Helwani said. “It wasn’t just Dana. I know he gets a lot of the attention, but a lot of people weren’t backing you. Fighters weren’t backing you and that, to me, was the part that bothered me the most.”
Helwani never quite finished his thought when referencing Jon Jones, but that was more than enough to get the attention of ‘Bones’ who offered up a scathing response to the MMA Hour host.
“And Jon Jones says you were looking what? You’re such a backstabbing s**t talker bro and you wonder why I haven’t given you an interview in years @arielhelwani,” Jones wrote in response to the clip.
Helwani quickly responded to Jones’ inquiry and referred to an early 2023 interview with RMC Sport where ‘Bones’ suggested that Ngannou wasn’t willing to gamble on himself by turning down the UFC’s record-breaking offer, thus preventing a long-awited clash between the two.
“I don’t think I deserve any criticism,” Jones said. “I’m here. I’m here. Francis had the opportunity to face me and he opted out of the opportunity. If anyone should be criticized, it’s Francis Ngannou. If I’m correct, he was offered the biggest contract in heavyweight history. He had the opportunity to be a guy to dethrone me. He didn’t believe in himself. Francis didn’t believe in himself. He wasn’t willing to gamble on himself” (h/t MMA Fighting).
That certainly didn’t age well.
Jon Jones Comments on Francis Ngannou’s Performance against Tyson Fury
In a follow-up post, Jon Jones was complimentary of Ngannou’s performance against Tyson Fury saying, “I thought he did great, I’m glad the fight was competitive. Opens so many doors for everyone in the future.”
Before signing on the dotted line for a fight with Ngannou, Tyson Fury previously revealed that the UFC had made him an offer to fight Jon Jones in a hybrid-rules bout under the UFC banner. Perhaps someday we’ll see ‘Bones square off with ‘The Gypsy King’ in a ring or the cage, but for now, we’ll have to settle for the heavyweight champ picking fights with Ariel Helwani on social media while he heals up from his pectoral tear.
