Jon Jones catching heat from the MMA world is almost a regular occurrence. After all, it is rare for the heavyweight champion to go a day without criticism from fans. While backlash over his prolonged delay in facing Tom Aspinall still lingers, ‘Bones’ has now drawn the ire of Islam Makhachev’s fanbase following his recent remarks about the soon-to-be former lightweight champion. 

For the unversed, the undisputed 265lbs king has been filming a show with Nate Diaz called ALF Global Reality, a Russian equivalent of The Ultimate Fighter, where the two will serve as opposing coaches. A recent social media clip from the show has been gaining attention, showing Jones and Diaz speaking with a Russian man.

In the clip, Jones attempts to translate Diaz’s words, saying: “He’s talking about Islam. He’s saying that he’s still a little new in the sport, but he has a big future ahead.” That comment by Jones quickly caught the attention of Islam Makhachev’s fanbase, who took issue with him referring to the lightweight champion as a novice. As a result, the heavyweight champ faced a wave of backlash online. With many awaiting his response, Red Corner MMA uploaded a video on Instagram where ‘Bones’ addressed the situation and offered a clarification to the fans.

He said, “I feel like the comment that I made, made a lot of people upset. A lot of Islam fans upset. But really, what I was trying to translate for Nate to the Russians. Nate speaks in a very laid-back way. He speaks with a lot of slang, and if you’re not American, it may be hard to understand what he was saying. So I was really just trying to translate for Diaz.” The heavyweight champion added, “But at the same time, me saying that Islam is an up-and-coming fighter, when it’s coming from me, I can say that. Not many people can say that. I can!”

That was definitely a very Jon Jones-esque response. However, calling out Islam Makhachev, of all people, seems like a bit of a stretch, considering the Dagestani has held the lightweight title since 2022 and has already defended it four times. On top of that, he’s the current pound-for-pound king. Still, it was fairly obvious that Jones was just trying to stir the pot a bit, showing a hint of playful superiority.

The heavyweight kingpin has been spending time in Thailand, where he’s not only enjoying himself but is also expected to collaborate with Alex Pereira. Also, he will be conducting an MMA seminar at Bangtao Muay Thai, a gym co-owned by Alexander Volkanovski. Amongst all of these developments, fans are eagerly anticipating his comeback. However, a recent video of him has sparked some doubts about his return. 

Jon Jones’s leaked video raises questions about his return 

The heavyweight unification bout between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall has already been a rollercoaster ride! Simply because we have been confused about everything. Dana White has given us hope that we are going to see this highly anticipated superfight in 2025. But a recent video from ‘Bones’ has made things more confusing than before.

MMA Mania uploaded a video in which Jon Jones was seen speaking with veteran Russian MMA promoter Kamil Gadzhiev. During the conversation, some interesting information was revealed. Gadzhiev said, “You’re still active, 10 years left!” to which Jones replied, “No, I’m done. I’m done. Looking forward to seeing you again, Kamil. You look great.”

That statement has sparked massive speculation among the MMA fanbase. Especially as it was quickly linked to Jones’s potential return against Aspinall. The conversation didn’t clarify whether Jones meant he’s done entirely, or if he intends to retire after the anticipated UFC title unification bout—but it was definitely enough to keep the discussion alive.

Once again, we’re left with a whole lot of confusion surrounding this massive superfight. That said, do you think Jon Jones is actually done, or was that just another classic troll job? And do you believe ‘Bones’ was genuinely mocking Islam Makhachev, or was it all in good fun? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.