What does it feel like to be the biggest star in the promotion? Maybe we should ask Jon Jones. But wait—looks like the heavyweight champion isn’t in the mood for interviews. Why do we say that? Because Jones recently declined an exclusive sit-down with none other than Stephen A. Smith. In a recent escapade, Chael Sonnen called out Jon Jones for the snub, pointing out how the champ flat-out humiliated Smith by walking away from the interview without giving any explanation. Let’s dive into the details.
While speaking on his YouTube channel, Chael Sonnen highlighted that there was a time when Jon Jones was invited to an exclusive show with Stephen A. Smith at ESPN. However, true to form, Jones declined the invitation and instead spent the week wandering the streets of New York. “Jon started to learn. Slowly, he just started to learn—very slowly. And right when I think, ‘Alright, we got him,’ I can just take you back to his very last fight. Jones is scheduled to go on First Take with Stephen A. Smith. Now, the way they set it up, Stephen A. is putting Molly and everybody to the side. It’s just going to be Stephen A. and Jon Jones.”
But before moving forward, it’s imperative to highlight how important it is for athletes to appear on the First Take podcast, hosted by Stephen A. Smith. First and foremost, Smith invites only A-list guests to his show, making it an exclusive platform for athletes to share their thoughts and gain significant engagement. “It’s going to be a one-on-one sit-down on ESPN’s number one program. The only other fighter to get that airtime at ESPN is me—and I got it once. It is that hard to get that kind of airtime that gets reserved for the starting quarterback, that gets reserved for the kid that just won the Heisman, that gets reserved for the person that just won Wimbledon, just for example,” Sonnen added.
To put it simply, an exclusive with Stephen A. Smith is more than just an interview—it’s a strategic move in an athlete’s career playbook. So, it is a big thing for the athletes, but guess what Jon Jones did when he had the opportunity to sit down with Stephen A. Smith? He literally cancelled it.” They want Jon. Jon doesn’t show,” Sonnen added. “This is in November of last year. Jon didn’t show. Jon canceled it. In fact, he canceled all his media for the day and decided that he was going to go walk around New York City.”
Credits: Imago
Jon Jones is known for being reluctant when it comes to giving interviews. His history with media interactions shows that he is very selective about whom he agrees to speak with. For example, at UFC 309, Jones was scheduled for an interview with Adam Catterall of TNT Sports, but abruptly walked out upon learning about Catterall’s close association with interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. Jones remarked, “I’m not going to do this interview… because it’s going to be an Aspinall-fest.”
One could say that Jones is a picky eater when it comes to media interactions. Interestingly, Bones has some differences with Stephen A. Smith. How? Let’s take a closer look.
The time when Jon Jones called out Stephen A. Smith for limited MMA knowledge
At UFC 246, Stephen A. Smith sparked controversy by suggesting that Donald Cerrone gave up in his bout against Conor McGregor. Both McGregor and Joe Rogan strongly disagreed, leading to a heated back-and-forth between Smith and Rogan that captured widespread attention. Jon Jones, who was fully aware of the situation, reacted to the incident. Jones, in his statement, asserted that he respects Smith as a reporter, but he needs to have a better understanding of MMA.
“Hats off to Stephen A. Smith, by the way. I think he’s a tremendous reporter. But you’re absolutely right, I think he does need to do more homework. You need to go back and maybe watch some of those PRIDE fights,” Jon Jones said on UFC 247 media day. “You need to go back and start at UFC 1, and really do your homework. That way, you know not only who we all are, but you know positioning, you know technique, you know a few submission names. I doubt they’re at that level, and I would love to encourage them to get to that level. If you’re a true professional, that’s what you do.”
Subtly taking a dig at Smith, Jon Jones sided with his colleague in their revolt against the reporter. Although Jones had no reason to decline an exclusive with the ESPN standout, it seems he simply wanted to pull a troll move. Given that, what are your thoughts about the fiasco? State your opinion in the comments below.
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