Chael Sonnen responds to ‘rude’ Jon Jones snub

Chael Sonnen has described Jon Jones as “rude”, but insists he holds no grudge towards the newly crowned UFC light heavyweight champion following an on-air snub this past weekend.

Immediately after his victory on Saturday night, “Bones” appeared on ESPN’s post-fight show, hosted by MMA veteran Sonnen and Ariel Helwani.

The pair attempted to quiz the 31-year-old on his victory over Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 232, but Jones refused to address one-time opponent Sonnen on air, instead directing his responses solely towards Helwani.

Now, UFC alumni and media personality Sonnen has responded to Jones’ apparent slight in a short YouTube video filmed in his podcast studio.

The 41-year-old, who was defeated by Jones inside a round back in 2013 at UFC 159, certainly has a history of hostility with the New York native, and believes that that played a major part in the snub.

“What Jon is used to, is getting into a battle of wits with me, and then I make him look like a horse’s ass,” Sonnen stated. “So, I could see why he would not want to do that… I think he might have had a fear that I was going to do that to him.”

Jones ‘very rude’ for not addressing Sonnen

The outspoken 41-year-old insisted that he had no intentions of making Jones look the fool in his guise as an on-air presenter. “But he doesn’t know that; I couldn’t fault him for thinking that way. I don’t hold a grudge that he did that. But, I thought it was very rude to come onto a show and not take questions from the host of the show.”

Later in the interview, Jones took an apparent dig at Sonnen by complimenting Helwani for being a journalist who always fact-checked his stories – with no mention of his Ariel and the Bad Guy co-host. With regards to the slight, Sonnen responded: “That was a little bit alarming as well… because I took Jon’s side [in the drug testing controversy that plagued fight week]. I just looked at the evidence and thought USADA got it right. So, he actually had that wrong. This week, he was dealing with an ally of sorts.”

‘Hateful media tour is game Jones plays’

Sonnen closed the video with a damning verdict of Jones’ general conduct in the media, accusing the star of attempting to portray himself as a victim throughout the numerous controversies he has found himself embroiled in.

“Jon went on a little hateful media tour. He does that any time he’s on top… he will act as though he’s holding something that you need,” Sonnen explained. “He will think that his presence, the one time that he’s fought in the last year – the three times he’s collectively fought in the last three years – somehow moves the needle. When he skins his knee and stubs his toe, he can’t figure out why he has any allies in the media. This is just a circle he goes through and the game he plays.”