‘F*** you money’: GOAT’s demand over next UFC bout… after Trump rally where a fight broke out

So did you hear a fight broke out at Donald Trump’s latest rally in New York?

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And for no less than the UFC heavyweight title.

A crown won, coincidentally, when that enigmatic phenom otherwise known as Jon Jones went and delivered a spinning back kick with all the force of Trump, hours earlier, entering New York’s famed Madison Square Garden.

And more on that walk out soon enough.

First though, the kick.

One which didn’t simply land like a swinging shovel under the rib cage of Stipe Miocic, but immediately dropped the Cleveland Colossus who for so long has been considered history’s greatest UFC heavyweight.

One minute, big Stipe hanging in against the fence.

Next thing, gone.

Which is when, with Miocic slumped against the cage wall, Jones dived in all fists, elbows, immortality.

Having arrived into the Octagon via that famed soundtrack where Muhammad Ali shouts ‘The Champ Is Here’, Jones needed less than three rounds to go and prove it in every sense.

After which, the greatest UFC fighter ever thanked Trump.

Then, did a signature Trump dance.

Right before he also thanked God and then asked an entire arena to chant U-S-A.

Which, of course, they did.

And just like that, the rally was back underway.

For how else do we explain UFC 309?

A blockbuster Big Apple event best defined, in equal parts, by both that Jones’ kick and a Trump arrival which — coming some 15 minutes before the card’s Pay-Per-View portion — saw the returning US president enter MSG alongside with the strongest of cornermen.

Think UFC boss Dana White, Tesla billionaire Elon Musk and, on the spit bucket, American rapper Kid Rock.

At when they all popped up on the Garden big screen … cue pandemonium.

With seemingly every fan rising in unison as, with iPhones in hand, and American Bad Ass blaring, they cheered Trump all the way to cageside, then through three more songs as he mixed with folk in the $15,000 seats for a dozen minutes.

Wonderfully, one of those songs was Taking Care Of Business.

Which is exactly what Jones did, too.

Undeniable in a performance where, first round, he took Miocic down after 90 seconds, then kept him there.

Second round, it was Jones again.

Then by round three – thwack.

Better, the UFC heavyweight champ widely regarded as the greatest fighter now – and likely ever – also suggested he won’t be retiring but instead hinted at challenging that Englishman everyone wants for him next, Tom Aspinall.

Which, wonderfully, came with Big Tommy not only sat cageside, but looking every inch a Next Big Thing in his oversized fur coat.

It was also a night where Brazilian superstar Charles Oliveira and American rival, ‘Iron’ Michael Chandler, put on the type of performance that finished with everyone on their feet.

A night where Jim Miller also earned win 27 inside the Octagon, while Oban Elliott — aka ‘The Welsh Gangster’ – pumped out signature Hulk Hogan flexes after earning his own highlight reel finish.

But for most of this one, the Garden belonged undeniably to Trump.

And so much so, the bloke should’ve earned himself a $50,000 Performance Bonus.

With the 47th US president not only dancing as YMCA blared, or pointing triumphantly to the bleachers as a U-S-A chant broke out, but initially arriving cageside and hugging UFC commentator Joe Rogan, whose podcast Trump spoke on for three hours only days out from polling.

Impossibly, and for some time, it seemed like Trump was the only man in a building boasting the likes of American heavyweight Deontay Wilder, country singer Zac Brown, rapper Jelly Roll, actor Miles Teller, Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ Anthony Kiedis, wrasslin’ great Triple H and UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell.

A crowd, again, that included Aspinall, too.

With the hulking Brit who wants Jones next – what with him being the division’s interim champ – seated only a few seats down from Jones’ family, including famed brothers Arthur and Chandler.

Through much of fight week, Jones had stated he would rather vacate the title than fight Aspinall, explaining he has no interest doing business with a bloke who, put bluntly, is an “a**hole”.

But in victory?

Well, the champ said he wasn’t going anywhere.

Better, speaking at the press conference afterwards, UFC boss White said he would be bringing the two men together for what, with apologies to Brock Lesnar, will be “the biggest heavyweight fight in UFC history”.

Elsewhere, White also doubled down on his claims that Jones is the GOAT, saying: “I don’t see how any of you don’t see that this is greatest f***ing fighter in the history of people f***ing fighting”.

Then, he went and named Jones the greatest fighter ever, period.

Or maybe not including Roman days, he laughed.

“But ever since they’ve been documenting fights”.

Only problem with the Aspinall blockbuster, however?

“I’m not worried about the Tom fight,” Jones said about 30 minutes later, when it was his turn to take the podium. “I’m worried about (Alex) Pereira”.

Despite having already been assured by White he will be well compensated to face Aspinall, Jones doubled down on suggestions that he could vacate the belt rather than face the division’s interim champ.

Later, however, the champ appeared to contradict that claim when confirming he was not making demands, and chase that Saudi boxing money, but instead fight whoever White tells him to.

Which, apparently, means the Aspinall fight is on.

Albeit with a big green asterisk.

“Because I don’t need him,” Jones said of Aspinall.

“He needs me.

“And so if I give him the opportunity to fight me, I want that f… you money”.

Elsewhere, Jones also praised the toughness of Miocic, who retired after the loss, describing him as a “nightmare” to fight.

“Because you hit him, and hit him,” Jones said, “and he shows no emotion”.

But when it comes to President Trump?

Baby, the emotion was everywhere.

During his time at the microphone, White also spoke on close friend Trump, explaining how the world is already a better place following his impending return to office, even if, he laughed, most of the room did not agree with.

“I do,” shouted Kid Rock, who had not only snuck in among the press corps, but was now kicked back eating their free popcorn and pizza.

But if that image sounds crazy, how about a co-main that was Chandler being battered through four rounds – think dropped, rocked, kicked, taken down, held against the cage, almost submitted, and even twice kicked so hard his body buckled – only to almost go win it in the fifth.

Including twice, at the death, leaping backwards onto the mat so that he could slam Oliveira, who was wrapped like a mamba around his body.

While the previous three fights had gone to decision, they were nothing like this one.

No, only a fight earlier, rising American star Bo Nickal had won the fight but not the crowd, with chants of “overrated” breaking out late in his lacklustre decision over Scotland’s Paul Craig.

But a fight later?

Well, Chandler lost nowhere but on the scorecards.

Which is why on the microphone afterwards, he was able to call out Conor McGregor.

Then after leaving the cage, made an immediate beeline for Trump, who embraced the proud patriot from Nashville, Tennessee as if he had just won gold.

And just like that, the rally was back underway.