"The legacy has a pricetag" - Fans debate over Jon Jones asking 'F*ck you money' from UFC for Francis Ngannou and Tom Aspinall

Jon Jones is seemingly eyeing mammoth paydays for potential fights against former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou and current interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. Fight fans soon chimed in on reports regarding it, with some lambasting Jones and others supporting him.

Jones was linked to a potential fight against then-UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou back in 2021. The Cameroonian-French Ngannou departed the UFC in January 2023, and 'Bones' captured the vacant UFC heavyweight title in March 2023 after beating Ciryl Gane. Jones has held the title since.

Over the past few years, Jon Jones has been accused of having priced himself out of a possible fight against Ngannou and of doing the same with Aspinall as well.

After UFC superstar Alex Pereira's recent UFC light heavyweight title defeat against Magomed Ankalaev, many believe that Pereira's potential super-fight against Jones is unfeasible for the time being. Also, rumors are rife that Ngannou's PFL tenure could be nearing its end, and some feel he could return to the UFC for the long-awaited fight against Jones.

The "@OnPointMMA" X handle recently highlighted that Jones is asking for mammoth payouts for possibly fighting Ngannou and Aspinall. An excerpt from the X post read:

"Is it a coincidence that Jon Jones is asking for "f**k you money" just for Francis Ngannou and Tom Aspinall?"

Fans weighed in on the same, with some criticizing Jon Jones for purportedly steering clear of legacy-defining fights against Ngannou and Aspinall. Several fans alluded to the fights being high-risk and high-reward clashes for Jones. A commenter noted:

"Risk/reward"

Another commenter opined that Jones has to fight them at this point:

"Idk man there's nowhere to run anymore"

Alternatively, some observers supported Jones. A netizen implied that it was Ngannou who demanded a major payday and partial UFC ownership for a potential Jones matchup:

"Jon didn't ask for that kind of money for Francis. Francis was the one asking for f*ck you money and damn near partial ownership of the ufc"

Others accused Jones of ducking Ngannou and Aspinall. One observer opined that he ought to be stripped of the UFC heavyweight title, while another wrote:

"coz we know he is a scared duck"

One X user wrote:

"The legacy has a pricetag"

Check out the screenshots of a few reactions below:

Screenshots of tweets

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NFL veteran who trained at Francis Ngannou's gym discussed potential Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall fight

Former NFL star Shawne Merriman recently spoke to Dylan Bowker on Bowks Talking Bouts and gave his two cents on Jon Jones taking on Aspinall. Merriman, who's incidentally trained at Xtreme Couture where Ngannou trains, alluded to Jones' dominance in MMA.

Nevertheless, he implied that 'Bones' could experience a passing of the torch moment against Aspinall. Suggesting that he wouldn't count Jones out, he warned that the older champion's run might come to an end against the young Englishman:

"I think that him and Tom, it's gonna be a 'pass the torch' fight."

Check out Shawne Merriman's assessment below (14:46):