Jon Jones may not be inside the Octagon right now, but he’s still landing verbal jabs from the sidelines. The undisputed UFC heavyweight champion took to social media this week to respond to comments made by interim champ Tom Aspinall — and he didn’t hold back.
Aspinall had recently wished Jones a happy retirement and proclaimed himself the “real” champion. Jones’ response? Pure “Bones.” When a fan asked how he would beat Aspinall, Jones replied, “By not even giving him the chance.” He doubled down by calling Aspinall “not as special as his fan base thinks he is,” citing the Brit’s two career losses.
Jones hasn’t fought since his dominant win over Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. Before that, he submitted Ciryl Gane in under three minutes to claim the vacant heavyweight belt at UFC 285. Though injuries and layoff rumors have clouded his timeline, Jones insists he’s still king — even if he never faces Aspinall.
Meanwhile, Tom Aspinall has kept the division moving. After a first-round finish of Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295, he followed it up with a 60-second demolition of Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304. With a blend of speed and power rarely seen in heavyweights, Aspinall has fans and pundits alike calling for a unification bout.
But if Jones truly never returns, that matchup may remain one of MMA’s biggest what-ifs. Whether Jones is playing mind games or writing his own exit, one thing’s clear: he still knows how to keep the spotlight.
