- Jon Jones is looking forward to a potential showdown with Alex Pereira and demanding an unbelievably massive payday before fighting Tom Aspinall
- “Bones” wants to know if UFC president Dana White would be will to meet his demands
Jon Jones wants to face Alex Pereira next and insists he would only face Tom Aspinall if the price is right.
Jones is all about high-level fights
Speaking to the media following his impressive TKO win over Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, “Bones” was quizzed to reveal his next move. As per Jones, he is only considering “Poatan” as the only super fight worthy of making him pause his retirement.
“I’m not really worried about the Tom fight. I’m worried about the Pereira fight. That’s what I want to do. And I think if the UFC wants to have me back, then I think that’s the fight they’ll make. I’ve been really clear about my intensions. That’s what I want. I just feel like anybody would understand at this point. Like, I’ll retire the heavyweight belt if I have to. Give the guy what he wants at the end of the day. I’m not talking about Dana directly. I want to take what I find to be super fights. I don’t want to fight dangerous up-and-comers anymore. I want to fight dangerous established champions.”
Jon Jones remains adamant that he does NOT want to fight Tom Aspinall, and wants to fight Alex Pereira next
“I don’t want to fight dangerous up-and-comers anymore. I want to fight dangerous, established champions.”#UFC #MMA #UFC309 pic.twitter.com/vgEyUnssgT
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) November 17, 2024
“That’s kind of what I want and if it doesn’t line up, then professing my love for Jesus in front of everybody tonight and telling the world how proud I am to be an American champion and fighting in front of my president [Donald Trump], man, if that was my last fight ever than I’m cool with that. That was the way to do it. I did the Donald Trump [dance] I think one of the really good things about negotiating is being willing to walk away from a deal.”
Jon Jones says that he’s happy to retire if the UFC doesn’t give him the Alex Pereira fight:
“If that was my last fight ever, then I’m cool with that.”#UFC #MMA #UFC309 pic.twitter.com/Q3jDLrEioz
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) November 17, 2024
Big payday or forget about it
In a backstage interview with Jon Anik, Jones revealed that he wants to know if UFC president Dana White would match his demands in terms of compensation as it’s the only way he is agreeing to what the promotion wants him to do next.
“[Dana] wants what he wants. He wants some big fights and I just wanna see if he’s willing to compensate me. I see these guys right there making some really really big bucks. Jake Paul and Mike Tyson and all that kind of stuff. I feel like if he could consider me to that level of an athlete, I mean, I feel like I’m a much better athlete actually but if he could consider me in that conversation then I’d love to stick around,” the heavyweight champion explained.
💰 Jon Jones says he expects to be compensated by the UFC in order to stick around for big fights:
“I see these guys out there making some really big bucks. Jake Paul, Mike Tyson.”
🎥 @espnmma #UFC #MMA #UFC309pic.twitter.com/Ur3BxHP8a1
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) November 17, 2024
“Bones” also noted that a “f**k you money” is needed for him to face Aspinall and in simpler terms, it’s an insane amount of money.
“A very, very high number. For sure… I’ve learned over the years not to really get into finances publicly but I want to be compensated to the point where if I won or lost, that it wouldn’t really matter,” Jones said.
Jon Jones is asked how much he wants to get paid to fight Tom Aspinall:
“A very, very high number… I want to be compensated to the point where if I won or lost, that it really wouldn’t matter.”#UFC #MMA #UFC309 pic.twitter.com/NXSUxN9CyN
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) November 17, 2024
Jones appears to be crystal clear with what he plans to do. That said, it’s now up to the UFC to either grant the legendary fighter’s demands or move on and go separate ways. In that case, “Bones” will be retiring as he had always mentioned ahead of UFC 309.