In an interview with TMZ Sports prior to UFC 236, Adesanya admitted that a fight with Jones “tickled his loins” and said that, “I already killed one G.O.A.T. and I’m hunting the next.”
That apparently got under Jones’ skin and he retaliated on social media.
“If you think you killed 44 yr old Anderson, you didn’t,” Jones wrote on Twitter. “I’m not really sure what fight you’ve been watching. You got past the legendary GOAT, now come fuck with the King of the jungle. I’ll make you call me daddy by the third.”
On The Arel Helwani Show yesterday, Adesanya had a chance to respond.
“Jon Jones, he literally just reminds me of what I’ve hated most in life, and that’s bullies,” Adesanya told ESPN’s Helwani. “I’ve had them through high school, coming up. Literally he’s a jock, he’s a cock, and he’s a (expletive). He’s picking the right time. He’s a smart boy. He knows I’m a challenge. Jon Jones likes to look for challenges because there’s a reason. He’s started all this. He’s the one that came out openly (after UFC 234 in February) and called me out and said, ‘I’d like to fight Israel Adesanya.’
“He knows I’m a threat. But guess what, I’ve said this for so long: If you want to beat me, do it yesterday. Every (expletive) fight I get better. I get better every fight. So if he wants to try to take me out early on when he knows I’m only a year in the UFC, and I’m still learning.”
He had plenty more to say about the light-heavyweight champion.
“He’s a c-nt,” Adesanya continued. “There is two variables that I never expected in this game; and that was to fight (Anderson) Silva and now it’s to fight Jones. So I have to adapt to that. And for me, I like a challenge.
“So he’s a c-nt, and I say that because he is picking the time where I am supposed to get the most shine to come at me because he is irrelevant.
“No one really cares about him,” he continued. “I am everything he wished he was. I’m everything he wished he would’ve been.”
Adesanya also issued a warning that it’s only a matter of time before he does move up to fight him.
“There is only one reason he called me out. I know he’s a man of challenges; I’m not an easy fight but he knows if he is going to get me, right now is the time while I’m… I’m only a year and some change in the game.
“Imagine what I am going to be like in two years. He’s is trying to get this fight early so he has a better chance at beating me,” Adesanya added. “But I am player one and I have the controller and that fight will happen on my terms.
“If he wants to come down to 185, hey, if you want to kill yourself doing it, but eventually I will go up and I like the sound of two belts.”
Needless to say Jones had something to say about all that.
“Bro how are you going to call me out talking about your “hunting the goat”, and then call me a bully for replying to you??” Jones wrote on Twitter. “You sound like you know you can’t beat me right now, so if that’s the case, keep my name out your mouth and we won’t have these problems.
“He doesn’t even have to show respect if he doesn’t want to, just don’t back down once you’re addressed next time. Kind of makes you look like a lil bitch real talk.
“Basically. Next topic, I won’t even reply to his response. He’s alright shown me his stripes… Ain’t Ready.”
Adesanya put that to the test by responding.
“@JonnyBones …Who called who out first?!” Adesanya asked alongside a video of Jones on TMZ after UFC 234 back in February saying that he had a feeling they would fight one day.
“Keep my name out your mouth!! I’m still working through 185, so sure you may have the better percentage “right now”. I’m getting better and better and better at a rapid rate. Your time will come when I say so.#iwontdelete.”
Jones stayed silent on the matter though, instead reminding people that his next fight will come against Thiago Santos at UFC 239 in July.
