Tom Aspinall may be showing signs of mental frustration as he continues to wait for his shot at the heavyweight title, but that didn’t stop him from taking a jab at Jon Jones’ recent antics in Thailand. ‘Bones’ was caught on camera awkwardly balancing on the back of a motorcycle, clutching the rider’s hair. That scene gave Aspinall and Jiu-Jitsu funny man Craig Jones plenty of material to cook up a hilarious skit, which the champ didn’t let slide. 

The Manchester native is quite known for his comedic chops. In his YouTube short “Where are you Jon 🦆,” Aspinall hilariously pops up in moments of Jon Jones’ life, mocking the heavyweight champ’s apparent avoidance. Now, teaming up with BJJ ace Craig Jones, he’s back at it—recreating the viral motorcycle scene. In the skit, Craig jokes, “Sorry, it’s a Jones thing, Tom!”—hilariously pointing out that sharing the same surname as Jon might come with some quirky habits.

Well, that skit drew many reactions from the MMA world, with fans and fighters alike praising the duo’s comedic timing. But among all the responses, the one that stood out came from the man who inspired the reel himself. Jon Jones dropped a simple two-word comment: “Rent free,” along with a coconut and tree emoji—cleverly nodding to his viral line from Thailand, “I’m over here sipping on coconut, and you’re talking about when you gonna fight.”

That’s another jab added to the growing online war between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall. Lately, the two have been locked in a social media back-and-forth, trading shots. The animosity is boiling over, but the real question remains: When will we see it settled inside the cage? Despite Dana White’s repeated assurances, the wait drags on, and with frustration mounting, the “Strip Jon Jones” petition continues to gain signatures by the day.

With the heavyweight title bout still unannounced and hanging in uncertainty, Jones has offered a small glimpse into his plans for the future. The reigning champ hinted that once he’s wrapped up his UFC career, he’s interested in stepping into the world of exhibition bouts, suggesting he’s already looking beyond the Octagon. 

Jon Jones eyes exhibition matches in the future

Exhibition fights have turned into a cash-rich lane for retired fighters, especially when names like Jake Paul, Logan Paul, or KSI are involved. These crossover boxing matches aren’t just gimmicks anymore, they pull real numbers and serious money. So, Jon Jones, arguably the GOAT of MMA, has also shown some interest in going that route. 

In DeepCut with VicBlends podcast, Jones was asked about his future in the sport, in which he said, “You know, I don’t know what life holds as far as fighting and competing. I do feel like I will be a lifelong martial artist, whether I’m coaching others or taking exhibition matches. There’s a lot of great competition in the UFC. I do view myself as more than a fighter. Being in my position, I feel like I have a lot more options than a lot of the other fighters as far as the ability to leave and return, and things like that.”

That’s absolutely true—Jones would have plenty of big-money options outside the UFC. But what really stood out was the complete absence of Tom Aspinall’s name in his statement. Was that a calculated move to ignore the interim champ as part of his mental warfare? Or was it a quiet signal that he has no real intention of ever fighting the Brit? Either way, the silence speaks volumes. For now, it’s all speculation, and only time will tell. 

With that being said, the fog around the heavyweight unification bout still hasn’t lifted. So, will things finally start to clear up as we inch closer to November—the month Jon Jones usually makes his return? Or is this all leading to a quiet exit, with the champ walking off into the sunset for some big-money exhibition bouts instead? Let us know in the comments!