Anthony Smith explains how Tom Aspinall is being played by 'master manipulator' Jon Jones
Anthony Smith thinks UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones is playing mind games with Tom Aspinall.
It's been a long wait for interim champ Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC), who's yet to get his title-unification bout with Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC). Although UFC CEO Dana White is confident that the matchup materializes this year, Smith advises Aspinall to stop provoking Jones.
Aspinall has continuously accused Jones of ducking him, and Smith thinks his approach will only continue further delaying the matchup. Smith has first-hand experience fighting Jones after lost a unanimous decision in their 2019 light heavyweight title fight at UFC 235.
"I have a lot of love and respect for Tom Aspinall, but if I'm Tom, I'm probably going to be a little quieter," Smith told ESPN. "I think that he's poking, and he's prodding, and he's trying to attack Jon Jones' ego a little bit, and force Jon into this ego competition where Jon says, 'I'm not afraid of you. I want to go fight now.' Jon is not going to do that. Jon Jones, in every single part of his life, has to be in control of it. Jon is a master manipulator, and he is a master at mind games that are behind this sport. He's been doing it for years against the best guys in the world. I understand Aspinall has this fighter mindset where he wants to say, 'I'm better than you, and you think you're better than me, so I'm going to keep attacking that.'
"Jon doesn't care about any of that. The person who cares the least in every negotiation, wins. Jon Jones does not care what Tom Aspinall wants and, in fact, wants to do the complete opposite of what Tom Aspinall wants. If Jon and Tom want the exact same thing, then Jon doesn't want it anymore, and that's how Jon is going to operate. It's one of the most exhausting things that I've ever had to deal with, and I have to respect it. Jon is the master at emotionally and mentally exhausting people, and you can see it in Tom Aspinall a little bit already. He's starting to get tired."
Jones recently bragged about living his best life as Aspinall continues to chomp at the bit. "Bones" is currently filming Season 2 of "ALF Reality," a Russian reality television show resembling "The Ultimate Fighter" where he's coaching opposite fellow UFC star Nate Diaz in Thailand.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Erceg rallies after early knockdown to save UFC career at Vegas 109
Erceg rallies after early knockdown to save UFC career at Vegas 109 originally appeared on The Sporting News Steve Erceg walked into UFC Vegas 109 knowing his career might be on the line. He left with his hand raised, halting a three-fight skid. The Australian won a gritty unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) over Ode Osbourne, surviving a first-round knockdown before grinding out the final two rounds. MORE:Reyes talks up Ulberg ahead of UFC Perth All three judges scored the fight for Erceg, who admitted the result wasn't pretty - but it may have been the most important win of his career. Just 15-months-ago, Erceg was fighting for UFC gold against Alexandre Pantoja. Fast forward to Sunday, and he was fighting to stay employed by the promotion. Three straight losses had shaken his self-belief and placed him firmly on the chopping block. "Unfortunately, I'm on three losses and I could be fighting for my contract," Erceg told MMA Fighting prior to the bout. Originally booked to face Alex Perez, Erceg saw two opponents withdraw before landing Osbourne - a dangerous knockout artist coming off of a win. Despite being the betting favourite, the 30-year-old understood the test that he had in-front of him. Osbourne made his intentions clear in the first round, tagging Erceg with a crisp check hook that sent the Aussie to the canvas. The second round was tighter. Osbourne still landed clean but began to slow down, while Erceg pressed forward with grappling and clinch-work. By the third round, Erceg had taken control - he shot for a takedown early, securing the mount, and riding out long stretches of control time. "I had his back in the second [round]. The striking was close in the second [round]. I thought I won," said Erceg in the post-fight interview. "I wanted to make a statement about how tough I am." Erceg now hopes to ride the momentum into a quick turnaround - and a spot on the UFC's Perth card in September. "Yeah, I think I can at the moment for sure," he said.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Best of the Best: MMAmania.com's UFC/MMA week in review – Fans were correct about ‘Massive' Khamzat
Welcome to 'This Week in Maniacs! As you know, churns out a ridiculous amount of stories weekly. And if you don't refresh this site constantly, you might just miss an amazing story. Or, if you don't go read the comments section on each story, you might miss a wisecrack that will leave you LOL'ing. But, don't trip — we've got you covered. This weekly article will recap the best of reviewing the most-read stories, comments, social media posts, etc. So, sit back and take a gander at the madness of the week that was … Last week, the story that attracted the most eyeballs here at was fight fans panicking when Khamzat Chimaev and Dricus du Plessis met each other for the first time. Well, they were right to panic. Ding-dong, UFC on ESPN+ is DEAD (thank god). If you were under a rock this week, starting in 2026, UFC will be streaming all of its events on Paramount+, meaning pay-per-view is no more. Hell yeah! User Ramon Suarez got jokes Dan Hooker buried Charles Oliveira this week for accusing him of turning down a fight in UFC Rio — 'His brain is mashed potatoes.' I don't know if you missed it, but 'The Feed' is brand new, fan-oriented section on for YOU to post discussion topics, breaking news or just about anything combat sports-related. Igl00Man sparked an interesting conversation: 'Which fighter would have had more success if they changed division sooner?' The correct answer is Rumble Johnson … right? DDP got dominated, and this picture perfectly encapsulates the beating. That elbow sounded like a baseball bat Take a bow, HellsKitchenResident, you called Aaron Pico getting iced (watch it). It flew under the radar this week, but after eight fights at Featherweight, Edson Barboza returned to the Lightweight division, where he already had an awesome run. — (He lost) One of the best prospects, Losene Keita, has signed with UFC … and he'll make his debut against Patricio Pitbull at UFC Paris. – Aug. 13, 2022 We did know at the time, but Dominick Cruz's final fight came against Marlon Vera, in his adopted hometown of San Diego. – Aug. 14, 2011 Speaking of retirements, one of the best retirements of all time came when Chris Lytle tapped Dan the weigh-ins, Lytle handed White a thank-you letter and let him know he was retiring after this bout. On the same card, Donald Cerrone scored his first TKO finish inside the Octagon against Charles Oliveira. UFC 252 – Aug. 15, 2020 I didn't know I would be writing about three retirements in this week's segment, but here we are. At UFC 252, Stipe Miocic defeated Daniel Cormier, retiring him in their trilogy bout. On the same card, 'Chito' handed Sean O'Malley his first professional loss. ee you guys next week! And be sure to peep those comments sections. Who knows, you might just be highlighted among the 'Best of the Best' around these parts. Remember to follow on socials, too: Twitter (X) Instagram Facebook TikTok o checkout UFC's upcoming schedule of events click here.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
ESPN Analyst's Son Was Just Named The No. 1 Recruit in America
ESPN on Thursday dropped its SC NEXT 60 for the high school basketball Class of 2027, and a very familiar name sits at the top of the list. Marcus Spears Jr. has been named by ESPN as the No. 1 basketball recruit in the country. And if his name sounds eerily familiar it's because his father, Marcus Spears Sr., is an ESPN and Monday Night Football analyst. The elder Spears was a standout at LSU before he was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys with the 20th overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. That Marcus Jr., a 6-foot-7 power forward, opted for basketball instead of football comes as no surprise. His father was once a highly touted basketball recruit who earned Louisiana Gatorade Player of the Year honors in high school before committing to play football at the SEC powerhouse. What's more, Marcus Jr.'s mother was also a standout basketball star. Aiysha Smith played at LSU before the Washington Mystics selected her with the seventh overall pick in the 2003 WNBA Draft. Suffice it to say, Marcus Jr. has some serious basketball pedigree. 'I have a lot of respect for my peers and they are great talents as well. To be recognized as the top player in the country in my class is not only an honor but a testament to all the work that's been put in so far," Marcus Jr. said via ESPN. "Much more work to do but honored to be in this spot. The work is all that matters." It goes without saying, Marcus Jr. will have plenty of collegiate options. According to the national recruiting site 247Sports, Marcus Jr. already has 12 offers, including from Kentucky, Houston and, of course, LSU. No word if Marcus Sr. will encourage his son to follow in his parent's footsteps and become a Tiger, but it's safe to say Marcus Sr. will carve out time from his busy schedule as an NFL analyst to watch his son ball out. ESPN Analyst's Son Was Just Named The No. 1 Recruit in America first appeared on Men's Journal on Aug 15, 2025
