It seems John Jones wasn’t dwelling like an athlete. Tom Aspinall’s uncontroversial promotion to UFC heavyweight champion might really feel like he is been handed the keys to a ghost mansion. The saga between Aspinel and John Jones, formally shut down with Jones’ retirement, was a two-year hen match the place Jones seems to be fascinated by preventing Aspinel, simply as most individuals are within the root canal.
“Not Stay Like an Athlete”: Tom Aspinoll reveals scoop at John Jones exit
Having spent practically 20 months as interim champion, Tom Aspinoll was prepared and blissful to be united to combine the belt, however John Jones continued to take a position on the world and as a substitute selected a legacy enhance (and actually, safer) struggle with the 42-year-old semi-nail retired patterned Myothic.
Behind the scenes, sources near Tom Aspinel say the chatter about Jones’ retirement was persistent. “I’ve heard rumors from individuals close by that he is planning on retiring and that he does not reside like an athlete. He is not within the fitness center and isn’t .” Aspinall identified in an interview with the CEO’s diary.
In the meantime, John Jones spent a lot of the final yr dodging questions, main Aspinel on social media, and fired inaccurate claims about Tom Aspinel’s data. He reportedly requested for six months to organize for the struggle if that occurred, and at one level he sought a $30 million assure that the UFC had instantly shelved.
Introduced on a late-night name to Dana White, Jones’ exit was simply as dramatic as his whole profession. New authorized points awaited within the wings. Hours after his retirement, it was revealed that Jones was dealing with a misdemeanor cost of allegedly fleeing the scene of an Albuquerque automotive accident. Police studies counsel that Jones might have made threatening statements to officers.
What was Jones actually doing? If you happen to imagine the rumours, he lived extra like a retired rock star than the reigning champion. If you happen to imagine within the headline, he was busy with actuality TV shoots and authorized dramas as a substitute of getting ready for the struggle. And should you imagine within the followers, he was merely chasing his normal playbook: do issues in his means, the outcomes will likely be damned.