VIDEO: Jon Jones nearly gets kicked in the head in face-off with a woman 

UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones flinched from a kick that almost hit his head.

During a recent appearance at a Bangtao Muay Thai & MMA event, Jones came face-to-face with a female Taekwondo expert, who had 'Bones' worried for a split-second. In the video posted by Red Corner MMA on their YouTube channel, Jones was first sized up and then almost got hit with an axe kick before commending the woman for her skill.

Take a look at the video below:

In his last outing, Jones faced Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 in March 2023, winning via submission to claim the heavyweight title. He was then set to face Stipe Miocic in his first title defense, but a shoulder injury forced him to withdraw, leaving top contenders Tom Aspinall and Sergei Pavlovich to fight for an interim title.

Aspinal emerged victorious, winning via knockout, and will likely take on the winner of Jones vs. Miocic. Notably, the English heavyweight recently shared an encounter with 'Bones' having previously gone back-and-forth online.

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Jon Jones' potential UFC return timeline

Jon Jones was scheduled to defend his UFC heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 on November 11, 2023, at New York's iconic Madison Square Garden. Unfortunately, he sustained a pectoral muscle injury, forcing him to pull out.

Jones underwent surgery on Jan. 8 and is expected to be sidelined until at least May, and is still far from hard training. His return will likely come in the last two quarters of 2024.

Curiously, Jones did reveal that the UFC was looking to potentially book him for the milestone UFC 300 card slated for April. In an interview with Submission Radio while in Australia earlier this year, the former light heavyweight king stated that top UFC executives were interested in him headlining the blockbuster pay-per-view.

However, 'Bones' was forced to turn down the fight, citing the lack of time to return to full fitness:

"I got a call from Hunter Campbell, one of the head lawyers of the UFC, asking me. He said, 'Jon, I know it's only nine weeks away, but if there's any chance you're feeling up to it, man, it'd be awesome news for the community that you're coming back and headlining one of the biggest events ever.' And as honored as I am for the opportunity, I just don't think I'll be ready."

Catch Jon Jones' comments below (2:11):