Jon Jones didn’t hold back when sharing his thoughts on Tom Aspinall’s performance at UFC 321. The former two-division UFC champion had a few sharp words for the heavyweight titleholder following his controversial no-contest against Ciryl Gane.
Aspinall’s first undisputed heavyweight title defense ended in disaster after a series of accidental eye pokes from Gane in Round 1. After taking the full five-minute recovery window, Aspinall was unable to continue due to blurred vision, leading to an anticlimactic stoppage. The bout was later ruled a no-contest.
The UFC plans to book a rematch between Aspinall and Gane in 2026 once Aspinall recovers fully, as his team recently confirmed that his vision remains compromised.
Meanwhile, Jones, who vacated his title after announcing retirement in June, finally broke his silence. Speaking on the No Scripts Podcast, Jones criticized Aspinall’s skill set, calling him “a one-trick pony.”
“Tom’s a great athlete, but I feel he’s a one-trick pony,” Jones said. “I believe that his wrestling and jiu-jitsu are incredibly overrated. He’s got a beautiful one-two combination, but that’s really about it. He couldn’t touch Ciryl Gane at all. Gane’s hands were down, bouncing around, getting comfortable. One-trick pony.”
Jones added that Gane seemed to be finding his rhythm before the unfortunate stoppage. “I felt like Gane was just getting warmed up,” he continued. “He was touching him, shaking his shoulders, feeling loose. He was so comfortable in there.”
Jones’s critique comes from personal experience, he famously submitted Gane in just over two minutes at UFC 285 to claim the vacant heavyweight title after Francis Ngannou’s departure.
Although Jones initially stepped away from the sport, he’s now teasing a comeback. With UFC CEO Dana White planning a historic White House card in 2026, Jones has expressed interest in fighting again, possibly against light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira.
As for Aspinall, his focus remains on recovery and redemption. Once cleared to return, he’s expected to settle unfinished business with Gane inside the Octagon.
The heavyweight division remains in flux, but one thing’s clear, Jones hasn’t lost his edge, inside or outside the cage.
