Jon Jones has always been a master at timing. He understands when to strike, when to wait, and when to control the narrative. However, for the first time in his career, time is not on his side. His plea for six months to prepare for Tom Aspinall was intended to be a tactical maneuver, a champion’s prerogative. Instead, it has become something altogether different: ammunition. The exact thing that was supposed to buy him space has suddenly become a punchline, and the heavyweight division, led by Tom Aspinall, is having a field day, with Magomed Ankalaev also joining in.

At UFC London, Aspinall didn’t need to say anything. He didn’t need to confront ‘Bones’ or demand answers. The Briton only needed a rubber duck. As the cameras turned to him, he held up the small yellow toy, a clear shot at the reigning heavyweight champion. The message was clear: the man who had scared many in the division was now fleeing a fight. It wasn’t just the British audience who loved it. Magomed Ankalaev supported Aspinall with a satirical tweet, “BIG TOM (duck emoji) JON.” The six-month delay had transformed from a strategic maneuver into a public joke, with fighters from outside the division joining in.

‘Bones,’ who once dictated terms to an entire sport, is now in a unique, uncomfortable position—being seen as the one who doesn’t want the smoke. On the other hand, Tom Aspinall’s patience is wearing thin, and his words definitely show it. He’s finished waiting. “If it’s not Jon Jones, get out the way,” he said. His rage is boiling over, and rightly so. Since earning the interim title, he has been kept in limbo, waiting for a fight that may never happen. The UFC insists it will happen, and Dana White assures fans, yet despite all of the hoopla, no contract has been signed and no formal announcement has been made.

Jones’ legacy suffers as he waits longer. Six months was meant to give him time to prepare, but instead, it gave Aspinall time to turn the tables. Because no matter how many months the American fighter asks for or how much time he buys, the inevitable looms ahead—he can’t avoid it forever. The sport has changed, the division has progressed, and Tom Aspinall is not backing down. In fact, even other fighters have started pouncing on the reigning heavyweight champion for ducking the fight. One of the most recent names on the list? It’s none other than Colby Covington.

Colby Covington thrashes Jon Jones for ducking Tom Aspinall fight

As if the constant trolling from Tom Aspinall and Magomed Ankalaev wasn’t enough, Jon Jones now has a new critic on his tail—one of the best trash talkers in UFC history. Colby Covington has entered the conversation, and he isn’t holding back. While the heavyweight champion continues to stall, Covington has taken it upon himself to confirm what many in the MMA world have long suspected: Jones isn’t just waiting. He’s dodging. Worse, ‘Chaos’ claims he’s doing it for a paycheck he’ll never receive.

In a recent appearance on Red Hawk Recap, Covington went right for the jugular. “Jon is ducking; he’s trying to ask for an unreasonable price,” he said, accusing Jones of purposefully making financial demands that the UFC would never accept. “$40 million, $50 million? You don’t draw money to the company like that.” It wasn’t all about money, however. Covington went a step further, suggesting that ‘Bones’ would rather leave the sport than confront the danger that the Briton represents. “I think he’s going to duck him and go into retirement.” It’s a bold claim, but given Jones’ long silence, it’s getting traction.

Covington is not the only one who feels this way. Even Aspinall has become tired of the spectacle, lately claiming that he won’t talk about Jon Jones until a genuine contract is in front of him. Despite Dana White’s reassurances, nothing has materialized, and the waiting game is becoming more of a standoff. Covington’s statements have just added fuel to the flames, revealing what many suspected: Jones is planning his next move as a businessman rather than a fighter. If he does not fight Aspinall soon, the worries about his legacy will extend beyond his supremacy in the cage. They’ll be about a fight he never had. What do you think? Is Jon Jones actually ducking a fight? Let us know in the comments.