Aspinall says he was banned from UFC news conference

Tom Aspinall is the backup fighter for UFC 309's main event between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic

Tom Aspinall says he was not allowed to attend the UFC 309 news conference in New York on Thursday.

Fans roared the Briton's name despite the event promoting the heavyweight title fight between champion Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic.

Aspinall is the interim title holder but Jones has refused to fight him, getting increasingly irked by questions from the media relating to the 31-year-old.

Earlier this week the American, 37, used an expletive to describe Aspinall, before telling fans to "knock it off" as they chanted "Tommy, Tommy" at the news conference.

"I asked to be at the press conference and I was told no. I was trying to go but I got blacklisted," Aspinall told the UFC's weigh-in show.

UFC president Dana White said the winner of Saturday's main event at Madison Square Garden should face Aspinall, but Jones claims a bout with him "does nothing for my legacy".

Aspinall stepped in at 17 days' notice to beat Russia's Sergei Pavlovich for the interim title one year ago after injury forced Jones out of his original bout with Miocic.

But rather than schedule a unification title bout, Jones was rebooked against 42-year-old Miocic.

Aspinall, the back-up fighter to the main event, has poked fun at Jones in an attempt to lure him into an undisputed fight, such as buying his dog a toy rubber duck after fans claimed Jones was "ducking" him.

While Jones smiled on stage and joked with a vocal crowd at the news conference, the endless talk of Aspinall has irritated the two-weight UFC champion.

He walked out of an interview with TNT Sports before it began, concerned he would have to field more questions about Aspinall with the British broadcaster.

Aspinall later told TNT Sports on Friday that he has requested to face off with the winner of Jones and Miocic in the octagon, but has yet to hear back from the UFC.