Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Controversial Jon Jones moment ranked as the ‘biggest foul in MMA history’

Originally posted on Bloody Elbow | By Harvey Leonard | Last updated Nov 1, 2025 1:01 PM ET

Michael Bisping placed Jon Jones at the top of the pile.

Talk of fouling in mixed martial arts is a hot topic right now owing to the disappointing conclusion to last Saturday’s UFC 321 pay-per-view in Abu Dhabi.

The main event ended prematurely after Ciryl Gane poked Tom Aspinall in the eye, resulting in their undisputed heavyweight title fight being ruled a no contest.

One of Aspinall’s fellow countrymen did not include the recent foul in his list of the five worst in MMA history. He did, however, feature the man whom he succeeded on the heavyweight throne.

Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images

Michael Bisping ranks Jon Jones disqualification as MMA’s ‘biggest’ foul

Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping counted down the sport’s worst fouls in a recent video on his YouTube channel.

After including Petr Yan’s illegal knee against Aljamain Sterling and Rousimar Palhares’ infamous habit of not releasing submission holds, ‘The Count’ arrived at the number one spot.

There, Bisping placed Jon Jones’ 12-6 elbows against Matt Hamill back in 2009. The then-future GOAT contender was controversially disqualified for the illegal strikes, marking the one defeat on his otherwise unblemished record.

“This brings us to number one, the most significant, the biggest foul in MMA history,” Bisping said.

“Of course, it has got to go to one of the greatest in MMA history…you know who I’m talking about, Jonny ‘Bones’ Jones taking on Matt ‘The Hammer’ Hamill.

“Jon Jones was absolutely destroying him. He gets on top…he’s got full mount, and he’s dropping the 12-6 elbows,” he continued. “The referee steps in, disqualifies Jon Jones.

“His record was 9-1. That is still the only loss on his record. And these days, 12-6 elbows, they are allowed. But, that doesn’t change the fact that at that time, they were illegal.”

Tom Aspinall is wearing an eye patch one week on from the UFC 321 foul

Jones has a reputation for eye-poking. With that in mind, and given his disdain for Aspinall, it has not been surprising to see the former champion mocking the Englishman’s situation.

In Jones’ first reaction to Aspinall vs Gane, the Rochester native added an eye patch to the duck that has long been his profile picture on social media, in reference to claims he ‘ducked’ the current champ.

Funnily enough, Aspinall revealed that he is actually wearing an eye patch as a result of the damage sustained from the UFC 321 eye poke in a social media post from a hospital in the UK.

The heavyweight king continues to have his eye analyzed as issues with his vision apparently persist one week after the event in Abu Dhabi.

This article first appeared on Bloody Elbow and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: