Rampage Jackson Says Jon Jones’ Eye Pokes Are Intentional: “He Knows Exactly What He’s Doing”

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson says Jon Jones trains eye pokes and uses them deliberately inside the Octagon.

Throughout his career, Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) has developed a reputation for frequently being involved in incidents similar to the one that prematurely ended last Saturday’s heavyweight title fight between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane.

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jackson (37-14 MMA, 8-5 UFC), who was submitted by Jones when the two fought at UFC 135 back in 2011, claims that “Bones” knew exactly what he was doing on those occasions.

“Let me tell you something about Jon Jones,” Jackson said on his JAXXON Podcast. “Jon Jones is the most methodical fighter that ever stepped foot inside the UFC. His mind is totally different from ours. He knows exactly what he's doing, when he does it. He knows exactly what he's doing. I know that he trains that s**t. I know that's his defense mechanism.

“He's doing it on purpose. He's done interviews about it. I saw a clip the other day. You can look. And he said it might be a leak or something like that, but he said ‘hey, it works.’ He does it on purpose, trust me.”

After winning the heavyweight title by submitting Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 in 2023, Jon Jones suffered a catastrophic pectoral tear that kept him sidelined for a full 12 months. He defended the heavyweight title only once — a stoppage win over Stipe Miocic in November 2024 — before announcing his retirement from the sport, ignoring calls to face interim champion Tom Aspinall in a title unification bout.

The announcement of a major UFC event at the White House in 2026, however, was enough to convince Jones to reveal his plans for a comeback, with potential matchups against Aspinall and Alex Pereira now on the table.

Jackson doesn’t believe either opponent has what it takes to beat Jones.

“I don't think there's nobody out there right now that can really beat Jon Jones,” Jackson said. “But that being said, Jon Jones, he's very intelligent with his decision-making of who he fights and his opponents. I don't think he was worried about Tom Aspinall like everybody thought he was.”

Jones utilized his elite-level wrestling to drag Ciryl Gane to the canvas during his heavyweight title win in 2023, and Jackson believes he would do exactly the same were he to face Alex Pereira inside the Octagon.

“Come on, let's not be stupid,” he said. “We know what type of fight he'll take to Alex Pereira. He's not going to sit there and bang with him. This is what he did to Ciryl Gane. The first time wasn't that good. That's the same type of fight that he wants to give to Alex. He doesn't care about that, about the entertainment. He cares about his legacy only.”