Anthony Smith defends Jon Jones against ducking allegations as Tom Aspinall's wait continues: "He's a master manipulator"

Jon Jones has drawn the ire of the MMA community for his continued refusal to fight Tom Aspinall. However, Anthony Smith emerged as an unlikely defender of the UFC heavyweight champion's conduct. According to Smith, Jones isn't ducking Aspinall. Instead, he is toying with him.

Not only does 'Lionheart' believe that Jones will eventually fight Aspinall, he asserted that it is merely the Brit's impatience that is leading to delays. The UFC has not yet officially announced the bout, but Smith believes that it is largely due to Jones wanting things done on the terms of his own schedule. In a recent interview with Din Thomas, Smith said:

"He's doing his own thing, on his own time, and Aspinall desperately needs Jon Jones. So, what is Jon going to do? He's gonna do whatever the f*ck he wants to do, because he's thinking, 'Who the f*ck are you? I'm Jon f*cking Jones. I'll fight when I'm goddamn ready, and if you don't like it, go f*ck yourself.' That's his mentality, that's how he operates. That's how he moves. Whatever you want, he wants the opposite. He's a master manipulator. So, he's having a really good time wearing Aspinall the f*ck out emotionally."

Check out Anthony Smith defending Jon Jones from criticism below (1:50):

Jones has a documented history of avoiding Aspinall. He first dismissed Aspinall as a fighter of no renown. However, after Aspinall captured the interim heavyweight title by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 and defending it with another knockout against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304, 'Bones' changed his tone.

At that point, Aspinall's stardom was solidified. Jones, though, cited a personal dislike for Aspinall as his main reason for not fighting him, despite having faced several fighters he has intensely disliked in the past.

---

Jon Jones continues taunting fans over refusal to fight Tom Aspinall

Both Tom Aspinall and the MMA fandom have expressed growing frustration with Jon Jones' refusal to commit to the matchup. After one fan took aim at 'Bones' on X recently, Jones dismissed them with a taunt.

"This, this attitude, right here is making me a very wealthy man. This desperation is incredibly lucrative, so thank you. Keep it coming."

Check out Jon Jones' comments below:

Until Jones changes his tune, Aspinall will be at the mercy of his whims. However, he has already detailed how emotionally taxing the wait has been.