Tom Aspinall admits revamped Jon Jones attacks are meant to “Test his ego”

There’s a calculated method to the madness behind interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall’s recent online banter with Jon Jones.

Aspinall is fresh off a dominant interim title defense against Curtis Blaydes in their UFC 304 rematch. Just seconds into the fight, Aspinall floored Blaydes and won the fight by knockout.

Aspinall’s wait to fight for the lineal UFC heavyweight title continues as Jones is likely set to face Stipe Miocic in November. While the fight hasn’t been announced, as of this writing, the matchup is rumored for UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden.

Aspinall has remained persistent in fighting Jones before the latter walks away from mixed martial arts. Jones has teased potential retirement with a win over Miocic in his planned return.

As Jones prepares for Miocic, he’s gone back and forth with Aspinall on social media. Aspinall’s previously respectful rhetoric has pivoted, after he bashed Jones for allegedly using performance-enhancing drugs throughout his career.

Tom Aspinall says he’s getting under Jon Jones’s skin

In a recent video segment with TNT Sports, Aspinall questioned why Jones is avoiding him.

“He wants the easy fight, Stipe [Miocic], for now,” Aspinall said of Jones. “But I have the faith. Jon’s getting a bit ticked off with me at the minute, which is my intention. I’m trying to test his ego to see if he could be like ‘Actually, I’m the man at heavyweight, I’m gonna show you’…

“So that’s what I’m working on at the moment. It seems that Jon is getting a little bit fuming with me so that’ll be nice if he continues that. He might be trolling everybody, who knows?”

UFC CEO Dana White believes if Jones defeats Miocic, he’ll return for a UFC swan song against Aspinall. Although, Jones’s persona in and out of the Octagon is unpredictable, as Aspinall can attest.