A devastating medical issue has turned into a major public feud in the UFC right now. Heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall shocked everyone by vacating his undisputed title on Monday.
Aspinall has been sidelined since last year’s October, when an accidental eye poke from Ciryl Gane ended their title fight in a no-contest. While trying to get healthy, the 33-year-old had actually agreed to a rematch. But an unexpected training mishap severely reinjured his right eye. Since doctors wouldn’t give him the green light to fight anytime soon, he stepped away so the division could keep moving.
While many fans respected his decision, a handful of critics claimed Aspinall gave up the belt to duck Gane. That theory exploded on Tuesday when retired former champion Jon Jones took critics’ side online.
Jon Jones Joins Fan Backlash Over Tom Aspinall Vacating Heavyweight Title
The social media drama started when an X account named “The Honest Jones Fan” posted that Tom Aspinall’s exit “confirms” his eye injury wasn’t that big of a deal and that the UFC expected him to defend the belt down the line.
He went further, claiming, “Aspinall, however, knows he can’t beat Ciryl Gane so took the easy way out. Absolutely shameless.”
Being the former heavyweight champion of the promotion, “Bones” agreed with that theory, penning, “My sentiments exactly.”
🚨 Jon Jones believes Tom Aspinall’s injury wasn’t that serious
He agrees with a fan who claims Aspinall “took the easy way out” by vacating the title because he “knows he can’t beat Ciryl Gane” 😬 pic.twitter.com/mv79uF1ZQo
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) September 15, 2026
While Jones has interacted with several other posts criticizing Aspinall since the title vacancy news broke, his personal take on this specific theory is driving the majority of the conversation right now.
After Aspinall’s first title defense against Ciryl Gane ended in a no-contest, the heavyweight underwent four surgeries to fix his injured eye, according to Eddie Hearn. Though his vision had improved enough by mid-2026, a recent accident during a live sparring session triggered fresh infections and medical complications. Doctors refused to clear him following this second setback.
In an official statement, Aspinall wrote, “We have worked closely with different doctors and specialists to try and make my return happen, but unfortunately, it’s simply not possible right now.”
View this post on Instagram
However, he promised fans that he is not retiring. He plans to continue fighting as soon as he gets medical clearance and vowed to return to the Octagon as soon as possible.
Division Fallout and Jon Jones Rumors
Tom Aspinall originally became the undisputed champion last summer after Jon Jones vacated the belt and retired instead of fighting him. Now that Aspinall has suddenly given up the title due to his medical complications, the path is wide open for interim champ Ciryl Gane to take over the division.
But inside the MMA community, everyone is talking about what this means for Jones. Despite being retired, the 39-year-old legend famously stayed in the official anti-doping drug testing pool, which leaves the door wide open for a potential return. Because the heavyweight throne is empty again, folks are already predicting Jones will jump right back into the cage.
Meanwhile, undefeated contender Josh Hokit is actively calling out Gane for a title fight to move the division forward. There is also plenty of talk that if Gane wins the undisputed title, Jon Jones might try to book a massive comeback fight against him to win back the belt.
