Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

UFC Legend Michael Bisping Defends Tom Aspinall After Jon Jones Called Him a “Quitter”

Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

UFC 321’s main event in Abu Dhabi delivered heavyweight drama but no resolution, as champion Tom Aspinall clash with Ciryl Gane ended in a no-contest late in Round 1. After a competitive striking exchange, Gane accidentally double-poked Aspinall in the eyes, leaving the Brit unable to continue despite a five-minute recovery period. Aspinall retained his title, but the abrupt stoppage drew boos from the crowd and harsh criticism from many, including Jon Jones.

Considered by many as the UFC‘s G.O.A.T, Jon Jones, a longtime Aspinall critic, escalated the feud on the noscripts.podcast. Jones branded the 15-3 MMA star a “quitter” and “overrated,” citing the eye-poke incident as proof of Tom Aspinall’s fragility. “When Tom gets hurt, he’s immediately incapacitated. He Immediately quits,” said Jones, who was very critical about the Brit. Jones mocked Aspinall’s refusal to blink through the pain and also referenced Aspinall’s July 2022 bout against Curtis Blaydes, where a torn ACL just 15 seconds in forced a stoppage. “There was no limping, he immediately quit,” Jones claimed, ignoring the severity of the injury. Jones even dug up Aspinall’s 2015 pro debut loss via quick heel-hook tap, implying a pattern of folding under pressure.

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Bisping’s Fiery Defense for Tom Aspinall After Jon Jones Label

Fellow Brit and UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping fired back hard on his YouTube channel, calling Jon Jones’ attack “not really fair.” Bisping, who knows eye trauma from his own-career injury, highlighted post-fight details. “We knew a few days after the fight with Ciryl Gane that he still couldn’t see.” He dismissed the Blaydes critique outright “To say that he didn’t try to fight through it… You throw a kick, something happens in your knee, something breaks, something tears- just because the guy didn’t continue fighting doesn’t make him a quitter. The man was in a tremendous amount of pain. It was done. It was over.”

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Bisping Puts Up Another Interesting Argument for Aspinall Dismissing Jones

Bisping saved his sharpest rebuttal for the 2015 submission “If you watch the video, yes, he tapped pretty quickly. He was caught in a heel hook. When you’re caught in a heel hook, you’ve got two choices. If the heel hook is in and it’s proper, you’ve got to tap, otherwise they’re going to blow out all the ligaments in your knee… Do you call that being a quitter or do you call that being smart?” as per MMA Junkie. He emphasized the risks-surgery, a year out, potential career end, contrasting it with reckless heroism.

UFC CEO Dana White, in the post-fight presser, confirmed a rematch “as soon as possible” once Aspinall’s medically cleared, praising Gane’s strong showing. The heavyweight division awaits clarity, but Bisping’s words remind fans that toughness isn’t just enduring pain, but knowing when to fight another day.

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