Jon Jones Takes a Brutal Dig at Tom Aspinall Following Chaotic UFC 321 Main Event

Everything that could go wrong in the UFC 321 main event did come to life, as Tom Aspinall’s first undisputed heavyweight title defense ended in chaos. The Abu Dhabi pay-per-view was supposed to mark a new era following Jon Jones’ retirement earlier this year. Instead, a brutal double eye poke from Ciryl Gane forced Aspinall to stop, and referee Jason Herzog called the fight a no-contest. Although Aspinall technically retained his 265lbs title, his return after a 14-month layoff was overshadowed by the controversial ending. Adding to the drama, Jon Jones used the moment to take a brutal dig at Aspinall, making his presence felt without saying a word.

Jon Jones Updates Social Media with an Edited Duck Avatar to Mock Tom Aspinall

For context, the UFC heavyweight title was effectively held hostage by Jones after he defended it against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in November of the previous year. Many questioned the competitive legitimacy of that matchup, as Miocic had returned from a four-year layoff and was 42 years old. 

Meanwhile, Aspinall had held the interim 265lbs title since November 2023 while also defending it in Jones’ absence at UFC 304 against Curtis Blaydes. Despite this, the Englishman never got the chance to unify the belts during his 550+ day reign, as negotiations with Jones fell through multiple times. 

And after UFC Baku earlier this year, Jones officially retired, and Aspinall was promoted to undisputed champion. During the year-long standoff, Aspinall didn’t hold back, taking several pointed shots at Jones. 

ALSO READ: Alex Pereira Confirms Plans to Enter Boxing After Potential Jon Jones Superfight

 

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One of the most famous came at UFC London in March 2025, when Aspinall sat at ringside with a rubber duck, mocking Jones for ducking him and targeting opponents like Alex Pereira instead. He even humorously claimed that he had effectively retired Jones without ever stepping into the Octagon with him.

This is why Aspinall needed a strong performance against Gane, who had previously been defeated by Jones in under three minutes at UFC 285. Instead, the bout descended into chaos, giving Jones the perfect opportunity to take a sharp dig on social media. Given their heated rivalry before Jones’ retirement, it wasn’t surprising that he threw some subtle shade at the new champion. 

Shortly after UFC 321, Jones updated his social media avatars, adding an eyepatch to his trademark belt-wearing duck, a nod to the same ducking comments he had been accused of during his title reign.

 

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Meanwhile, Jones has also accepted Pereira’s challenge for a superfight at the UFC White House in June 2026. For context, the Brazilian had also taken a jab at the UFC 321 main event, echoing his callout of Jones immediately after the bout. Posting a clip of himself smirking as Aspinall vs. Gane was ruled a no-contest, Pereira promised to make the heavyweight division great again.

Meanwhile, at the UFC 321 post-fight presser, Dana White confirmed that the promotion plans to rebook the Aspinall vs. Gane bout. With the 265lbs division still in flux, fans will be eager to see how the heavyweight landscape unfolds heading into 2026.