Tom Aspinall revealed to former heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier that he was barred from the UFC 309 press conference.
The heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic headlines the event, but interim champion Aspinall has dominated the talk all week ahead of the clash.
A Jones vs Aspinall unification showdown has been the fight all fans have wanted ever since the Brit beat Russian Sergei Pavlovich for the interim title a year ago.
He stepped in with a little over two weeks’ notice after an injured Jones pulled out of his original fight with Miocic.
But rather than a fight between the two champions being scheduled once Jones returned to fitness, he was instead rebooked to face Miocic – leading to suggestions he has been ducking his British rival.
Fans at the press conference made their opinion clear with chants of, ‘Tommy, Tommy, Tommy’, with Jones telling them to ‘knock it off’.
They would have been disappointed not to have seen Aspinall in attendance, with Cormier also curious about Aspinall’s no-show.
But in reply he insisted it wasn’t a no-show at all – he wasn’t allowed to go.
The Brit said: “Wait, I’ve got to pull you up there DC because I asked to be at the press conference but I was told no.”
“I wish you were there,” exclaimed Cormier.
“I was trying to go, I got blacklisted,” said Aspinall.
The Englishman was also asked by Michael Bisping if there was any discussion about him getting in the ring to face-off against the winner of Jones vs Miocic.
The 31-year-old said: “Nope. Zero. I requested to go to the press conference. They didn’t want me there. I requested to go to the weigh-ins. They didn’t want me there.
“So we’ll see what happens with the face-off in the Octagon, but that would be great if we could do that.”
He did ask to crash the winner’s party in the Octagon but his request will most likely be declined.
Especially if Jones is the victor in Madison Square Garden, as the heavyweight champion previously walked out of an interview with talkSPORT boxing presenter Adam Catterall to avoid talking about Aspinall.
“Hey, I’m not going to do this interview,” Jones said as he headed for the exit after shaking hands with Catterall, who was scheduled to sit down with the champion for TNT Sports.
“Because it’s going to be an Aspinall fest. I’m not going to do it.”
Catterall co-hosts a show with Aspinall for TNT and has been very critical about Jones not fighting the Brit.
MMA fans have been critical of the American because they believe he should be fighting the interim champion who has lit up the division with his many knockouts – not a 42-year-old Stipe who supposedly is an easier task.
Aspinall himself confirmed his belief that Jones is ducking him. “Yes, he definitely is,” said the Brit. “There’s just an easier path for him, and I understand it”.
Jones has shown little interest in fighting Aspinall and even suggested a few days ago that he would rather take on UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira next.
A view UFC president Dana White does not share as he revealed the winner should fight Aspinall next.
“He is trying to keep the flame alive as he said: I know how this guy [Jones] operates. If he goes and wins on Saturday night he’ll disappear.
“You won’t hear anything from him and then once that competitive spirit starts to bubble again he’ll reach out and I cannot see him not wanting to fight Tom Aspinall.”
Aspinall is the official backup for the main event and weighed in at 255lbs, heavier than Miocic who is 248.6lbs and also Jones at 237.6lbs.
