If Corey Anderson ends up as the next challenger to Jon Jones’ UFC light heavyweight championship, you could say the foundation was laid at an autograph signing event in New Jersey.
On Saturday, Anderson and members of his team crashed a meet-and-greet with Jones hosted by iPlay America in Freehold, N.J., not far from where Anderson trains out of Ricardo Almeida Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Robinsville.
Parts of the incident were captured on video. Anderson and his crew are standing behind a guard rail a short distance from Jones, who’s at a table with fans. Words are exchanged between Jones and Anderson; nothing physical occurs.
“I’m just trying to have a conversation, that’s all,” Anderson is heard telling Jones.
Jones appears irritated and responds.
“That’s good,” Jones says. “One thing I want to let you know, bro: If you wanna fight, we’re gonna fight. But coming over here and saying anything stupid to me is not a good idea.”
“Ain’t nobody saying nothing,” Anderson replies.
Later on Twitter, Anderson weighed in on what transpired.
I just came to say “Hi”… @JonnyBones comes to my town I want to give him a nice warm welcome. But noooo, he got emotional that I know his manager. I’m the victim! And then he insulted my coach @DanteRiveraMMA ….😈 #ufc #fightme
Anderson, who’s on a three-fight winning streak, has been campaigning for the next title shot against Jones. Last week on MMA Junkie Radio, Anderson said he saw “so many openings” in Jones’ UFC 239 split-decision win over Thiago Santos.
Days prior to that, Jones took to Twitter to express his displeasure with Anderson taking personal shots as a means to a title fight.
Jones has said he’s targeting one more fight before the year ends. He currently has a battery charge lingering over him, stemming from an alleged encounter with a cocktail waitress at a strip club in Albuquerque, N.M.
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