Written by Jon Jones | Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC
Jon Jones had some fun on social media at Tom Aspinall’s expense, but we don’t seem to be any closer to a fight happening.
Earlier this week, Aspinall—the interim UFC heavyweight champion and No. 1 in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings—wished the division’s official champ Jones well in “retirement,” declared himself the undisputed champion, and essentially publicly moved on from a Jones fight. “Bones” went on Twitter Thursday night and tweeted up a storm, including answering fan questions, and giving his opinion on Aspinall’s fighting résumé.
That’s awesome, you guys could use one https://t.co/thOAZmxN9A
— Jonny Meat (@JonnyBones) June 6, 2025
“That’s awesome, you guys could use [a heavyweight champion],” Jones replied to a fan who declared Aspinall as the titleholder.
Unfortunately, my boy is not as special as his fan base thinks he is right now. I’ve seen Tom get tapped out twice now by two different people. Time will show. Here today gone tomorrow. https://t.co/ZnzRekapI7
— Jonny Meat (@JonnyBones) June 6, 2025
Appreciate all the folks who corrected me! I said Tom got submitted twice, but turns out it was just once… by a guy everyone calls Cousin Earl. Then he got TKO’d by some other random. Tough to remember who did what when there were multiple people involved.
— Jonny Meat (@JonnyBones) June 6, 2025
“Unfortunately, my boy is not as special as his fan base thinks he is right now,” Jones said of Aspinall. “I’ve seen Tom get [finished] twice now by two different people. Time will show. Here today gone tomorrow.”
By not even giving him the chance https://t.co/4uDCTASQz8
— Jonny Meat (@JonnyBones) June 6, 2025
Responding to a fan asking Jones how he would defeat Aspinall, Jones declared he already is “by not even giving him the chance” to fight him.
After an over three-year layoff, and vacating the light heavyweight title, Jones returned as a heavyweight in March 2023 when he captured the vacant title with a quick submission of Ciryl Gane at UFC 285. Jones battled injuries that kept him sidelined for nearly two more years, but returned at UFC 309 this past November when he knocked out Stipe Miocic in the third round.
Aspinall is the longest reigning interim champion in UFC history since knocking out Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 in November 2023. The U.K. rising star defended that belt successfully with a 60-second stoppage of Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304.
Jones continued tweeting about Aspinall and his own fighting future. Unless Jones is playing mind games and messing with the fan base, it doesn’t appear as if he is in any hurry to return to competition, whether it’s against Aspinall or anybody else.
I remember like it was yesterday. three years since anyone saw me fight. The mass amount of critics “ Jones looks so old now, He’s too slow now. Gane going to be too fast, Jones has never faced someone this big, he’s never faced a kickboxer of this caliber.”
The French and the… https://t.co/lG8yrkTsUY
— Jonny Meat (@JonnyBones) June 6, 2025
It really has nothing to do with fear. The question I asked my close friends and family is how much higher can a person like me climbing this sport. The goal for athletes is to build a brand and then take that brand and become so much more than an athlete. A lot of the fans and… https://t.co/UFYbyG0Dfa
— Jonny Meat (@JonnyBones) June 6, 2025
I spoke to the UFC a long time ago about what my future plans were. I haven’t really worked out since my last fight in New York City. Honestly, I believe it’s been in the UFC’s best interest to keep presenting me as the company’s champion—not Tom.
I’ve just been playing the role… https://t.co/u3w6V932pu
— Jonny Meat (@JonnyBones) June 6, 2025
Duck boy over here winning, and sticking one big fat FU to the haters at the same time quack quack
— Jonny Meat (@JonnyBones) June 6, 2025
There’s an interesting take! Shit, I’m 37 years old now. My body hurts everywhere if I’m being honest. Funny how Tommy boy talks zero shit to the studs of his generation. Barely even mention their names. https://t.co/ruDCrZ4jcX
— Jonny Meat (@JonnyBones) June 6, 2025
And remember, you can’t strip a guy like me at this point I give the belt up freely. Veni, vidi, vici.
— Jonny Meat (@JonnyBones) June 6, 2025
Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised. I see things like this happen all the time. Fighter allows me to become their whole identity. They’re so focused on being the man meanwhile, the competition is lurking. The big mouth gets bit in the ass. https://t.co/rfAhNmmukv
— Jonny Meat (@JonnyBones) June 6, 2025
I call this photo Rent free. Kept the attention of an entire country while doing nothing at all. https://t.co/ZqdLflEmqM
— Jonny Meat (@JonnyBones) June 6, 2025
Jones also added that he holds no “ill will” towards Aspinall, and offered up some advice to the interim champion.
No, honestly, I wish Tommy no ill will. He is no threat to me whatsoever, he should start with just trying to be the best heavyweight of all time, that goal would be plenty. My career is on a completely different planet if we’re being honest. I really don’t hate on other… https://t.co/cr38SjwCC6
— Jonny Meat (@JonnyBones) June 6, 2025
“No, honestly, I wish Tommy no ill will,” Jones said. “He is no threat to me whatsoever, he should start with just trying to be the best heavyweight of all time, that goal would be plenty. My career is on a completely different planet if we’re being honest. I really don’t hate on other fighters, I’m usually just responding to their envy.”