• UFC 135

Jones' trash-talk accusation spikes Rampage

Rampage Jackson insists Jon Jones has disrespected him in the build-up to UFC 135 © UFC

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Rampage reveals reason why he dislikes Jon Jones
  
• News: Disrespectful Hughes will pay - Koscheck
  
• News: Jon Jones finishes Rampage on his feet - Rashad
  
• News: Jon Jones will 'vacate' belt before Rampage fight
  
• News: 'Bambi legs' Jones has used up his toolbox - Rampage
  
• News: Jones can see which hand I wipe my ass with - Rampage
  
• Profile: Rampage Jackson | Jon Jones

Rampage Jackson has spent a good part of the last month attempting to get a reaction out of Jon Jones, yet it seemed to be the challenger who was in most danger of losing his cool during the UFC 135 phone conference.

Jackson and Jones meet in a potentially explosive light-heavyweight title clash on Saturday, which features a former PRIDE and UFC champion meeting the reigning 205lb king and, in the eyes of many, the new generation fighter.

Rampage has made plenty of attempts to ruffle the feathers of the ultra-cool Jones in the build-up to their Denver showdown, labelling the youngster "cocky" whilst claiming he "couldn't bust a grape". Worst of all though, in the eyes of Jones, was when Jackson accused him of employing a spy.

"The only thing that bothered me initially was the spygate situation," Jones said on Monday. "And it wasn't the situation necessarily, it was the fact that fans actually considered the fact that I would pay someone to...first of all, find someone to go to his camp and then pay someone and try to get Rampage to trust them."

Jones spoke with composure during the conference call, insisting there is no reason to rise to Jackson's bait. The champion only has one loss on his record, and that was a disqualification whilst trying to finish Matt Hamill.

"My job is not to out-talk him," Jones said. "You're talking about an opponent who threatens and harasses literally every opponent in his career's history, and I'm very aware of this. So I'll let him talk and have fun and make me look like the scared one, but when I'm in the Octagon on the 24th, that's when I'll demand more respect."

Jones' accusation that Rampage plays mind games with all his opponents seemed to hit a nerve with the challenger, who began to list opponents against whom he has shown nothing but respect. In Jackson's eyes, he only targets those who fail to act appropriately around him.

"If you go back and look at my interviews [before fights with] Marvin Eastman and Chuck Liddell and Dan Henderson and other guys, I react the way the guys act towards me," Jackson said.

"The guy has never walked the way I've walked in this sport, and basically the guy just said the wrong s*** and I treat him the way I treat him because I got no respect for him."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.