Jon Jones knows how to make an entrance, but this time, it wasn’t inside the Octagon. Instead, the former UFC heavyweight champion decided to steal the spotlight at the DBX4 (Dirty Boxing Championship) weigh-ins in Nashville, Tennessee. Riding in on a horse with an eye patch, Jones grinned from ear to ear as he greeted the crowd, trolling Tom Aspinall in the most bizarre yet calculated way possible.

In a clip shared on X by Championship Rounds, Jones told The Schmo, “I’m excited to be here,” while the crowd erupted in laughter. “We got the beautiful horse with the eye patch on and we’re having a good night.” The eye patch, of course, was no random accessory. It was a jab at Aspinall’s unfortunate eye injury at UFC 321 against Ciryl Gane, where an accidental poke ended his main event bout prematurely and reignited one of MMA’s most polarizing rivalries.

For Jon Jones, this wasn’t just humor; it was a statement. After all, this is the same man who has been accused of ducking Aspinall for years. The same man who reportedly turned down a $30 million offer for a unification bout against the Englishman, opting instead to vacate his title and walk away. Now, with Aspinall’s stock slightly dented after the anticlimactic end in Abu Dhabi, Jones seems to have picked the perfect moment to rub salt in the wound.

Their rivalry dates back to when Aspinall rose through the heavyweight ranks like a meteor, earning the interim title after demolishing Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295. While fans clamored for a unification bout, Jones instead chose to face Stipe Miocic. As per Ariel Helwani, “Why did you drag this out all the way until June when you knew you weren’t going to fight him? He gave the UFC a number. I believe it’s in the $30 million range for this fight. He didn’t think they would come up with the number, and they did. I believe Saudi Arabia was involved. The big dogs were involved. He said yes, and then two days later he said, ‘Nah, on second thought, I’m out.’ … ”

When Jones later vacated his belt, many saw it as the final confirmation of what they’d suspected all along: that ‘Bones’ didn’t want to risk his legacy against the British phenom. And now, months later, his horse-and-eyepatch stunt only adds fuel to that theory. Still, Jon Jones seems unfazed. His new focus appears to be Alex Pereira, the Brazilian knockout artist who, unlike Aspinall, shares his status as a two-division champion. But for fans, it’s clear who they believe Jones still fears!

Fans blast Jon Jones as his latest jab at Tom Aspinall doesn’t quite land

One fan wrote, “If anyone loves a good eye poke it’s this guy.” That jab stings for a reason. Jones’ career has been shadowed by controversy, from illegal strikes to failed dr*g tests, and this fan cleverly flips the narrative, reminding everyone that mocking Aspinall’s eye injury isn’t exactly coming from the moral high ground.

Another fan said, “Dude runs to retirement ducking Aspinall… now trolls when out of the UFC.” This reaction echoes a sentiment shared by many: Jon Jones’ trolling feels less like confidence and more like insecurity. After all, he retired instead of fighting Aspinall, only to resurface with jokes once the Brit’s momentum slowed. The timing speaks volumes.

Someone else pointed, “Who’s really rent-free.” The comment cuts deep. For all his accomplishments, Jones still seems fixated on Tom Aspinall. The British heavyweight hasn’t fought him, hasn’t called him out recently, yet somehow continues to live “rent-free” in Jones’ head, a psychological battle that fans find endlessly fascinating.

Another fan added, “Jon had to wait for Tom to suffer a defeat (he didn’t lose) to troll him, of course, it’s much easier than making up excuses when Tom had wins with quick knockouts and consecutive victories.” This reaction points out what many are thinking: the so-called “defeat” wasn’t even a real loss. Aspinall’s fight ended due to an accidental eye poke, not a knockout or submission. Yet Jones pounced on the moment as if it were validation. It’s a move that feels opportunistic, not triumphant.

One furious fan wrote, “Rejected $50M and vacated belt because he was scared to fight him.” The talks surrounding ‘Bones’ turning down a massive payday refuse to die, and for good reason. If true, it cements the narrative that Jones prioritized his legacy over his courage. Fans haven’t forgotten Helwani’s report, although figures vary, and this comment shows how the number has become symbolic, a dollar figure representing the fight that never was.

Finally, another user questioned, “Why are we pretending he didn’t duck tom because tom had a bad performance vs gane?” Here, the fan highlights the hypocrisy of Jones’ timing. When Aspinall was dominating with back-to-back first-round knockouts, Jones stayed silent. But when one fight ended awkwardly, he was suddenly vocal. It paints a picture of a legend who waits for vulnerability before striking, and that, for many fans, doesn’t scream “GOAT energy.” What do you think?

As such, Jon Jones’ horse-and-eyepatch stunt might have been meant as harmless fun, but for fight fans, it reopened old wounds that never really healed. The spectacle in Nashville was more than just a laugh; it was a reminder of the biggest “what if” in modern heavyweight history. Whether it’s showmanship or avoidance, fans seem convinced that Jones’ trolling says more about him than it does about Aspinall!