“He Ran From Me” – Dominick Reyes Accuses Jon Jones of Having ‘Ducking’ Trait

205lbs contender Dominick Reyes calls out former heavyweight champion Jon Jones for continuous ducking.

“He Ran From Me” – Dominick Reyes Accuses Jon Jones of Having ‘Ducking’ Trait

Dominick Reyes calls out Jon Jones for his ducking habit (via X)

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A few weeks ago, former heavyweight champion Jon Jones officially announced his retirement from the UFC, shocking the MMA world. The announcement came after months of avoiding a unification bout against interim champion Tom Aspinall, raising eyebrows among fans and analysts. During this time, many accused Jones of ducking the dangerous Brit, questioning the legitimacy of his heavyweight reign.

Initially, Jones demanded a hefty purse to fight Aspinall, prompting extended negotiations with the UFC matchmakers and executives. After the UFC agreed to his terms, Jones pulled out, claiming he had nothing left to prove inside the Octagon. As a result, there was a major backlash, and his former rival Dominick Reyes reignited controversy by questioning Jones’ intentions. 

He just strings everyone along and lies and tells this and says that. Then he’s smug about it. He’s not being genuine, man… That’s why everybody’s mad about it, he’s just trying to play with all of us…After [our] fight I lobbied for the rematch for the entire year. He dropped the belt and went to heavyweight. People forget that too, he ran from me.

Dominick Reyes via Pound 4 Pound podcast

Jones vs. Reyes was a razor-close fight, with many fans believing the challenger was robbed on the judges’ scorecards. Reyes consistently asked for a rematch, believing he had done enough to dethrone the longtime light heavyweight champion in their bout. However, instead of granting a rematch, Jones vacated his title to prepare for a heavyweight move that took three years.

During those years, Jones remained inactive, further frustrating fans who wanted the Reyes rematch before his heavyweight transition. Against Aspinall, he did something similar and was unbothered by all the negativity against him from online fans. However, a few weeks after his retirement, Jones is now motivated to fight in the UFC White House event. 

Dominick Reyes talks about tackling Jon Jones’ eye pokes 

Jon Jones is widely regarded as one of the dirtiest fighters in UFC history due to his repeated use of illegal tactics. He’s notoriously known for frequent eye pokes, which have occurred in nearly all of his high-profile fights throughout the years. Opponents like Rampage Jackson and Daniel Cormier have publicly complained about Jones using eye pokes to gain an unfair advantage.

Jon Jones vs. Dominick Reyes
Jon Jones vs. Dominick Reyes (via X)

Despite constant criticism, Jones was rarely penalized, making his controversial tactics a consistent topic in discussions about his legacy. However, Dominick Reyes was able to successfully survive that and inflict damage on Jones during their fight. In his latest interview on the Pound 4 Pound podcast, he revealed getting some advice from the legendary Ovince Saint Preux. 

OSP showed up one time to help me out. He actually showed me the punch the finger thing. That was an ‘OSP’ special, because Jon actively goes like this [extending his hands and fingers]. I would be facing him and he would literally put his fingers in my face like this. Like, ‘I dare you to run in. I dare you to come in’. So then I punched down on his fingers and that was from OSP. He was like, ‘Dude, when he’s trying to stick his fingers in your face, just punch down on them.‘

Jon Jones via The Pound 4 Pound 

The debate over the result of Jones vs. Reyes has remained a hot topic for years, with both fighters standing firm on their views.  Recently, Jones made headlines by re-entering the UFC drug-testing pool, suggesting a possible return in 2026. Meanwhile, Reyes is set to headline UFC Perth against Carlos Ulberg, scheduled for late September 2025, marking a pivotal moment in his comeback journey.

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