On the Friday morning UFC 309 weigh-in show from New York City, UFC heavyweight champ Jon Jones told a different former opponent how he managed to drum up animosity between himself and the affable firefighter-and-former champion Stipe Miocic.
This came after the pre-fight press conference yesterday, where Stipe replied, “I’ve never talked about your kids,” in reply to Jones’ surprising accusation at the ritual face-off.
Jon: “Don’t ever mention my kids.” Denies Stipe’s handshake ??
(via @UFC) #UFC309 pic.twitter.com/adaXz0M6wz
— Full Violence ™ (@Full_Violence) November 14, 2024
‘Bones’ admitted to former light-heavyweight champ Daniel Cormier – now a UFC commentator – that he does like finding an edge, an underlying tension, between himself and opponents.
However, Jones also explained why he feels this goes far beyond that. The two-weight champion explained how months ago he heard a video of Stipe Miocic. Jones made it seem as though the heavyweight GOAT was asked about the comparison of his legacy against Jones’, at which point Miocic apparently answered, “At least my kids won’t look at me like am a**hole.”
This clearly struck a nerve with Jon, who said, “[He’s] just another one of those fighters who hate me for no reason at all.”
“You’re another one of these fighters that hates me for no reason at all.”
Jon Jones says he will never forget the way he felt after he saw a clip of Stipe Miocic saying, “Atleast my kids will never look at me as an asshole.”
? #UFC309 weigh-in show pic.twitter.com/Klkv34lHuO
— MMA Orbit (@mma_orbit) November 15, 2024
Clearly, the greatest 205-lber of all time is unable to understand why someone would disparage his character after his multiple run-ins with the law, incidents of hurting women, and positive performance-enhancing drug tests.
The problem with Jones’ recollection of Miocic’s words is that not once did the heavyweight legend mention Jones in talking about how his kids would look at him.
In the actual clip, Stipe tells the podcast host how he could talk more smack to his opponents but his kids having a positive impression of his character is more important. Jon is not brought up at all.
Stipe never did mention Jon Jones’ kids on the podcast episode Jon accused him of doing so on. He was literally only talking abt his own kids and how they’d look at their dad. pic.twitter.com/na9JCD2Pjp
— Val Dewar (flyweight enjoyer) (@the3els) November 15, 2024
Clearly, Daniel Cormier is right when he says that Jones is seeking for anything he can to bring a personal grudge to the UFC 309 main event, even if it is against one of the nicest men in the sport.
