THE CANADIAN PRESS
DENVER — The sniping between light-heavyweight champion Jon (Bones) Jones and former title-holder Quinton (Rampage) Jackson continued Wednesday as the fighters met the media ahead of UFC 135.
Jackson (32-8) has labelled the 24-year-old Jones, the UFC’s youngest ever champion, as cocky, fake and disrespectful.
Jones (13-1) denies any such behaviour leading into Saturday’s main event at the Pepsi Center.
"I know I’m a good person, I know that I do the right things and I work hard," he said.
But in the give-and-take between the two on the subject, the two light-heavyweights have provided lots of fodder for the other. And on Wednesday, Jones found himself reacting to statements he said he has never made — like Jackson does not have the tools to beat him.
"I’m not underestimating Rampage at all," Jones said. "He’s a unified champion (Jackson held both the Pride and UFC titles) that’s knocked out some of the best fighters in the sport. That would be a very very ignorant thing for me to do — to underestimate somebody with such a great record and such a great status."
Some of the exchanges seemed to lack a real edge. But it wasn’t all sweetness and light, with Jackson chipping away at the champion.
The 33-year-old Jackson repeated his belief that Jones, while "a creative kid," has a lightweight fight resume.
"He hasn’t really fought anybody." he said.
"Isn’t that disrespectful to Shogun?" responded Jones, referring to his UFC 128 win in March over Mauricio (Shogun) Rua to take the title.
"He was rusty, coming off an injury," Jackson replied.
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The two continued to interrupt each other on the dais.
"Hey, I’m talking right now," said Jackson. "Shut your young ass up."
In talking up his time in Denver, Jackson said he had visited the zoo and made a friend — "a little monkey that looked like a little Jon Jones."
The comment drew laughter from the audience — and a smile from Jones.
The young champion is viewed as a heavy favourite, from 5-1 to 7-1 depending on the oddsmaker. Jackson says he is used to being written off.
"I was counted out when I was facing Chuck Liddell and Wanderlei Silva," he said. "Those are the type of things that make me train harder and rise to the occasion.
"I’m not surprised at all. A lot of people want me to lose this fight, but that gives me more power."
Added Jackson: "Let Jon do all his talking. I do most of my talking in the Octagon. We’ll see how the old men get down."
Jones has been a target of late, with former training partner Rashad Evans giving it to him ever since Jones opted to take his place against Rua. Evans had to drop out of the fight through injury.
UFC president Dana White, watching Wednesday’s exchange from the middle, called the Jones-Jackson showdown "a breakthrough fight" — the kind that attracts more than just hardcore fans.
