Jon Jones is currently one of the most talked-about fighters on social media due to the delay in his potential fight with Tom Aspinall for the heavyweight title unification. He has shown little interest in the matchup, and fans are mocking him online for not accepting the fight.
A viral meme poking fun at Jones’ delayed return and the uncertainty surrounding the Aspinall bout caught the attention of the reigning heavyweight champion and drew a reaction from him.
Jon Jones Responds to Viral Meme With One Word
Jones was expected to face Aspinall following his successful heavyweight title defense against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. However, “Bones” has expressed little interest in the fight, and it remains unclear whether it will take place.
MMA fans, who have long awaited the announcement of a title unification bout, have voiced their frustration. Some have even started an online petition to strip Jones of the belt, accusing him of ducking the Brit.
Amid the backlash, Jones is currently in Thailand filming the Russian version of The Ultimate Fighter. Several clips from his visit have gone viral on social media.
Recently, the meme page “smesh.talk” shared a meme featuring a shirtless man dancing wildly in the street — who slightly resembles Jones — with the caption: “Jon Jones in Thailand instead of fighting Tom Aspinall.”
Jones, the UFC’s No. 3 pound-for-pound fighter, reshared the meme on his Instagram story with a one-word reaction and a laughing emoji: “Why?”
Michael Bisping Slams Jon Jones for Avoiding Tom Aspinall
Michael Bisping, on episode #639 of his podcast “Believe You Me,” criticized Jones for expressing interest in fighting Francis Ngannou rather than unifying the title with Aspinall. This came after Ngannou’s coach indicated the former UFC champion is open to returning to the promotion.
Bisping argued that Jones should focus on the interim champion already in place rather than pursuing other matchups.
“It’s like bro, it doesn’t matter. Francis Ngannou, by the way, has been beaten along the way by Derrick Lewis. You know what I’m saying? Yeah, he might be the PFL champ. Yeah, he might have been the former UFC champ. There’s a goddamn f**king interim champion, okay?”
The UFC commentator said Jones should have told the UFC he wasn’t interested in defending the belt if that was his stance, making the interim title unnecessary.
“If you didn’t want to fight him, you should have said at the time to Dana [White], to Hunter [Campbell]. Don’t do an interim belt. Do not do an interim belt, because I won’t fight him. If that’s how you truly felt, you know what I’m saying?”
Following UFC 316, UFC president Dana White voiced confidence that the Jones vs. Aspinall fight would take place, though he didn’t delve into details