Tom Aspinall understood exactly what he was doing. One simple move, one rubber duck, and the entire MMA world was abuzz. It wasn’t simply a harmless little joke—perhaps it was, but maybe not. The UFC interim heavyweight champion has been waiting for Jon Jones for months, and instead of venting about the delays, he picked something better. A gentle, humorous jibe that said everything without saying a word. Was it really just a joke? Was Tom Aspinall sending a not-so-subtle message to the champion?
Ariel Helwani, never one to miss an opportunity, put the Briton on the spot during a recent appearance on his show. “You did show up with the duck. To be clear, you were sending a message to Jon Jones, correct?” With a chuckle, Tom Aspinall replied, “No, I just like ducks. I’m always carrying a little duck around with me, just in case.” After a pause, he made sure the world knew the real reason behind the move. “No, of course, it was just a little bit of cheeky fun. A little indirect, that’s all. Bit of bounce, as we say. Just a bit of fun, mate, that’s all.” Now that truly was a classic Aspinall reply, and one that proved that the duck truly had a purpose.
Jon Jones may not have reacted, but his message was clear. This fight is unavoidable. Dana White has already confirmed this. The fans have demanded it. ‘Bones,’ meanwhile, is still holding out, dragging his feet while the biggest bout of 2025 remains in doubt. UFC 317 during International Fight Week sounded like the ideal setting, but with no contract finalized, everyone is left waiting. What about Tom Aspinall? He has had enough. He could shout into a microphone or vent on social media, but for now, he will let the rubber duck do the talking for him.
The fundamental question isn’t about the duck. It is about Jones. How long can he keep pushing this back? How long before he needs to stop running and enter the Octagon with a man who could be his biggest opponent yet? The Briton is not going away. Fans aren’t letting this one go. And if ‘Bones’ believes he can keep stalling, he may be underestimating how loud a small duck can get. And even if he tries to avoid what the duck has to say, there are other voices within the UFC that are asking the heavyweight champion to fight Tom Aspinall.
Magomed Ankalaev calls out ‘chicken’ Jon Jones for avoiding the fight
Jon Jones may be attempting to avoid the noise, but it is now coming from all directions. Tom Aspinall’s rubber duck act may have been funny, but the message was deadly serious—’Bones’ is out of excuses. And if he believed the reaction would end there, he was quite mistaken. Because the Briton and the fans are no longer the only ones calling him out. Fellow UFC fighters are getting in on the action, and one isn’t holding back. Enter Magomed Ankalaev, a man who rarely says anything, but when he does, it has bite. Or, in this instance, a beak.
Ankalaev, who is typically all business inside the cage, allowed his social media to speak for itself. On March 21, an image arrived on his page that showed Jones’ face slapped onto a duckling, complete with a speech bubble. “Tom Aspinall hasn’t proven anything. He hasn’t done anything.” The words may have been fabricated, but the message was real. Ankalaev followed up with a caption that left no room for misinterpretation: “Johnny chicken bones didn’t want to fight big Tom, come back to light heavyweight division and fight big Ank. Stop running.”
Does Jones care about what Magomed Ankalaev has to say? Probably not. But that isn’t the point. The point is, that the walls are closing in. Fans, commentators, and even fellow fighters are all saying the same thing: if Jones honestly believes he is the best of all time, why is he taking so long? The UFC heavyweight champion may believe he has complete control over the timeline, but each day he waits harms his legacy. Initially, it was a duck. Now it’s Ankalaev. If this trend continues, Jones may soon find himself drowning in far more than simply Twitter memes. What do you think? Is Jon Jones really ducking Tom Aspinall? Let us know in the comments.
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