‘It Is His Away’: Despite Refusing to Call Him UFC Goat, Coach Mendez Defends Jon Jones Against Ducking Tom Aspinall Allegations

Javier Mendez may not see Jon Jones as the greatest of all time, but he still doesn’t think he ‘ducked’ any fighter. After the news of Jones retiring from the UFC broke, the ducking allegations were rampant. Fans were convinced that the only reason ‘Bones’ hung up his gloves was so he wouldn’t have to fight Tom Aspinall next.

During an episode of the Javier and Mo Show on YouTube, Mendez spoke about Jones’ GOAT status, and he revealed that he does not think ‘Bones’ deserves the title because of his actions outside the octagon. Nevertheless, when his co-host Azizah started calling Jones a ‘duck’, the AKA coach wasn’t having it.

Azizah was convinced that Jones was ducking Aspinall, but Mendez vehemently defended the former UFC champion. “He doesn’t duck anybody, he’s not ducking. He just wants it his way, not ducking. He wants to fight when he wants to fight.” 

If Jones had to duck a fighter, he would have done it when he had to face the likes of Daniel Cormier, Vitor Belfort, Chael Sonnen, and Quinton Jackson.

So, after achieving everything he wanted in the UFC, why would Jones duck an up-and-coming contender who has not proved himself against any big names?

 

Jon Jones

“BUT, for me, he isn’t the greatest overall because of what he’s done outside the cage. True greatness is about more than just winning fights.”

Do you agree with Coach Javier? pic.twitter.com/Yyq3Pr0u6C

— The Javier & Mo Show (@JavierMoShow) June 24, 2025

Mendez doesn’t think Jones was ducking, but there is one thing he did not think the UFC should have made Aspinall do.

Mendez’s problem with Jones

There’s no two ways of putting it, he may be the greatest MMA fighter to step into the octagon, but Jones held up the heavyweight division. Since beating Stipe Miocic in November last year, he has not once defended his belt in 2025, and kept giving fans false hopes.

It wasn’t just the fans that got fooled; even Aspinall himself fell for it. But in the end, it would seem the UFC probably couldn’t match his terms for the fight, so he has decided to hang up his gloves.

In the same podcast episode, Mendez spoke about ‘Bones’ and his uncharismatic title reign to put it mildly.

“The fighter should not be allowed to hold up the division, and he held up the division for quite a while. And Tom Aspinall defended the interim title one time, he should have never had to defend it at any time. He should have been able to fight for the title,” Mendez asserted.

Mendez believes that Jones retirement was the right thing to have happened. Even ‘Bones’ knows he does not have too many fights left in him, and he would have to retire soon anyway.