Jon Jones wants ‘f*ck you’ money to meet Tom Aspinall: ‘He needs me’

Jon Jones could fight Tom Aspinall. For a price.

The UFC heavyweight champion recorded his first successful title defense Saturday at UFC 309, knocking out Stipe Miocic in the main event en route to a third-round knockout of the future Hall of Famer. Jones’ performance showed that he is still one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, leaving him with plenty of options for his next fight.

As the promotion’s interim heavyweight champion, Aspinall seems the logical choice, but Jones has often shut down the suggestion that he is committed to fighting the British star. During the week of the fight, Jones went so far as to say that Aspinall is “an arsehole” and that is why he refuses to work with him.

Jones was asked to elaborate on that stance at the UFC 309 post-fight presser.

“He’s annoying to me,” Jones said. “He’s annoying to me, and that’s my own personal — he annoys me. I get that you guys think it’s entertaining, but I find him annoying. I just don’t like him, and at the end of the day, if I give him the opportunity to fight me, I want that much compensation – I’ll say it, I want the ‘f*ck you’ money, honestly, that’s what it is.

“Or my life is perfect without him. I don’t need him at all, and he needs me, and that’s a good place to be in a negotiation.”

Jones did not provide the range of compensation that would convince him to fight Aspinall, saying only that it is “a very, very high number.”

After adding another impressive win to his all-time legacy, Jones feels he is in control of this chapter of his career. He favors a fight with current light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, but UFC CEO Dana White recently shot that down, saying he’d like to see Jones fight Aspinall first.

Jones insists a superfight with Pereira is the way to go.

“I’m not really worried about the Tom game,” Jones said. “I’m really worried about the Pereira fight. That’s what I’m going to do. I think if the UFC wants me back, I think that’s the fight they’re going to make. I’ve been very clear about my intentions, that’s what I want.

“I just feel like somebody 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 directly about Dana. I’ll take , what I think are superfights. I don’t want to fight dangerous up-and-comers. So Tom can get the heavyweight championship. I don’t care about that anymore has created something bigger. I want Pereira.”

Pereira had one of the best years in MMA history, defending his light heavyweight title with three memorable knockouts and developing a reputation as the UFC’s go-to guy when it came to finding a headliner on less than ideal notice. “Poatan” has also suggested he would like to fight Jones.

Should Jones not get his way, he is happy to take the ball and go home.

“Styles match,” Jones said. “I’m sure Pereira has knocked out a lot of heavyweights in his time. He has knockout power that’s bigger than his weight. Pereira is special and for me, fighting Pereira would just be worth it. People can call me ‘a duck’ and ‘a chicken’ I’m going to go home and cash a big check The duck and chicken thing is kind of funny.

“That’s kind of what I want, and if that doesn’t add up, I’m going to confess my love for Jesus in front of everyone tonight and tell the world how proud I am to be an American champion and fight in front of (President Elect Donald Trump ), man, if that was my last fight, I’m cool with it. That was the one that did it. … I think one of the really good things about negotiating is being willing to walk away from a deal, and that’s the deal I want. If that’s not what the fans want, I guess I’ll say ‘Sayonara.'”