Jones mocks Reyes with sarcastic 'virtual hug' after disputed 2020 title fight resurfaces

Jon Jones responded with pointed sarcasm to Dominick Reyes on Sunday after Reyes revisited their disputed 2020 UFC light heavyweight title fight, telling the challenger via X: “I’m giving you a virtual hug. I hope one day you heal from such a defeat. Close but no cigar. Sweat more, pass that on to the next generation.”

The exchange was sparked by Reyes’ performance at UFC 333 on Saturday in Abu Dhabi, where he stopped Azamat Murzakanov. In the aftermath, Reyes accused analyst Daniel Cormier of biased commentary and drew a direct line between Cormier’s long-running rivalry with Jones and what he perceived as unfair treatment. Reyes argued that Jones had not beaten him convincingly in their 2020 bout, contrasting it with Jones’ record against Cormier.

Jones defeated Reyes by unanimous decision in February 2020 in what proved to be his final light heavyweight title defence before moving to heavyweight. The result remains one of the most debated in recent UFC history, with a significant portion of observers — and the live crowd — believing Reyes had done enough to win.

Reyes’ reference to Jones’ record against Cormier added another layer of complexity. While Jones officially holds one win over Cormier, the knockout in their 2019 rematch was overturned to a no contest after Jones failed a post-fight drug test.

After a fan relayed Reyes’ comments to Jones on X, “Bones” declined to engage seriously, instead offering the mock-sympathetic message that quickly circulated across MMA social media. Reyes had written: “And no Jon Jones didn’t whoop all of us, he whooped you! Bad! Multiple times.”

The back-and-forth keeps a five-year-old result in the conversation at a moment when Reyes is attempting to rebuild his career, while Jones remains the reigning UFC heavyweight champion.