Jon Jones is in a war of words with Israel Adesanya ... and UFC star Corey Anderson says there's a good reason why he's doing anything he can to avoid fighting Anderson.
TMZ Sports got Anderson -- 7th ranked UFC lightweight -- at a media event for his management company, Dominance MMA ... and we asked him about a prospective fight with Jones.
"At this point I think he's just trying to avoid me. I showed up to one of his autograph signings, he wanted to crack jokes and everything. So, I walked up to the fence to say something to him and he called security."
"He knows what it is. He knows I'm there. He knows I'm the real deal. He knows I'm gonna be the biggest threat."
Corey also sent a message to the light heavyweight champ ... "Mr. Jon Jones, go ahead, keep the throne warm for me, baby. Keep my seat hot cause I'm coming and I'm ready for it."
These guys clearly don't like each other, and Corey BADLY wants to fight Jones ... but before that can happen, he's got a fight with one of the biggest rising stars in the UFC, Johnny Walker.
Anderson and Walker are fighting at UFC 244 in November ... and he tells us he has 1 main objective.
Derail the hype train.