Tom Aspinall says Jon Jones can’t handle the heat, takes jibes ‘very personally’

Ahead of UFC 309 this weekend, interim champion, Tom Aspinall has claimed his pursuit of a title unification pairing with Jon Jones is nothing personal – claiming his fellow champion’s stance on him as an “asshole” ultimately has no bearing on him.

Aspinall, the current interim heavyweight titleholder, officially weighed in as the backup fighter to tomorrow’s UFC 309 headliner between Jones and Miocic at Madison Square Garden, however, the Brit’s services are unlikely to be required, with the above-mentioned duo also successfully making weight for the headliner.

Becoming the first fighter on the promotion’s books to defend an interim crown since Renan Barao in his return earlier this summer, Atherton native, Aspinall avenged his sole promotional defeat in the process, laying waste to Curtis Blaydes with a stunning first round knockout at UFC 304 back in June.

And attempting to make his way to last night’s pre-fight press conference in ‘The Big Apple’ ahead of UFC 309, Aspinall boldly claimed today that despite his best efforts, he was “blacklisted” from the event by promotional executives.

“I asked to be at the press conference, and I was told, ‘No’,” Tom Aspinall told the UFC 309 weigh-in show. “So, I was trying to go – I got blacklisted, I got blacklisted from the press conference.”

Tom Aspinall refutes Jon Jones call out as personal

And speaking with the New York Post ahead of this weekend’s card in the city, Aspinall claimed that his pursuit of a title unification match with Jones was nothing personal in the slightest.

“I’m just trying to get a fight for the undisputed title,” Tom Aspinall explained. “Like I’ve said before, it’s not aimed at John specifically—it’s just a bit of fun, really. That’s just my personality. John, on the other hand, takes it very personally, but for me, it’s lighthearted.”

“I couldn’t care less what John or anyone else thinks. It doesn’t bother me,” Aspinall continued.