Jon Jones has walked out of an interview to avoid being questioned about Tom Aspinall.
The UFC heavyweight champion defends his title against Stipe Miocic at New York’s iconic Madison Square Garden this Saturday in the main event of UFC 309.
Jones hasn’t fought in the UFC since he returned last March, after a three-year hiatus, and submitted Ciryl Gane to claim the 265 lb belt for the first time.
His 42-year-old opponent, Miocic, was knocked out by Francis Ngannou in his last octagon appearance at UFC 260 in March 2021.
“How’s it going,” Jones said as he approached Adam Catterall who was set up to do an interview for TNT Sports.
Catterall is a talkSPORT presenter too and can often be found alongside PFL’s Brendan Loughnane on the pair’s Uncaged YouTube show, as well as discussing all things MMA and boxing on Fight Night.
“I’m good, how are you?” Catterall responds, as he prompts Jones to take a seat in order to get proceedings underway.
However, just as Catterall takes a seat, Jones begins to have second thoughts.
“Hey I’m not going to do this interview,” Jones says, as he heads for the exit.
“Because It’s going to be an Aspinall fest. I’m not going to do it.”
In the aftermath of the exit, Jones approached Catterall again and said: “Hey bro, nothing personal. I see how close you guys are.
“Common sense tells me what type of questions I’m going to get asked,” to which Catterall responds, “You’re entitled to speak to whoever you want to speak to.”
Jones did indeed go on to do the interview, instead with Nick Peet, who co-hosts the Fight Disciples Podcast alongside Catterall.
UFC 309’s main card is set to begin at 3am GMT for UK fans on Sunday, November 17.
The New York event also has the returning Michael Chandler squaring off with Charles Oliveira in what is set to be a blockbuster five-round co-main event.
Chandler was originally scheduled to fight Conor McGregor at UFC 303 in June, but the latter pulled out after suffering a toe injury.
The American has laid out an ambitious plan for 2025 that includes a lightweight title bout against Islam Makhachev, after an eventual bout with McGregor.
Bo Nickal also features on the UFC 309 main card as he takes on Scotland‘s Paul Craig in the middleweight division.
UFC legend Jim Miller could potentially make his last-ever octagon appearance in the prelims, as he contests his 57th MMA bout against Damon Jackson.
Wales’ Oban Elliot, who told talkSPORT.com exclusively that it was his dream to contest a bout in Madison Square Garden, fights Bassil Hafez in the early prelims, which is scheduled to begin at 11 pm GMT on Saturday night.
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