As the anticipation for the fight reached a fever pitch, a video of the pre-fight face-off between Jones and Garcia quickly went viral. To the shock and horror of onlookers, Jones, seemingly out of nowhere, grabbed Garcia’s face and planted an unwanted kiss on her lips. The reaction on Garcia’s face was one of pure surprise and discomfort, as she exclaimed, “You’re a bh, man. Really? Craig, really? F you. You crossed the line, crossed the line, crossed the line,” before slapping the camera away.

The incident immediately sparked outrage across social media, with viewers around the world condemning Jones’ actions. Many were quick to label the kiss as sexual harassment, expressing disbelief that such an act could be considered acceptable, even as a promotional stunt. “That’s sexual harassment,” one user on X wrote, while another added, “He truly crossed the line, and I think he should be fined for this behavior.” Others echoed similar sentiments, with one commenter stating, “Sexually assaulting someone while knowing you’re on camera is f*ing insane.”

Adding another layer to the controversy, some reports suggested that the kiss might have been staged to promote the fight. Sportskeeda speculated that the incident could have been a publicity stunt designed to draw attention to the match. However, the backlash it generated seemed to indicate that if it was indeed planned, it backfired spectacularly.

Jones has been called out for kissing Garcia during a face-off. Credit: Jun Sato / Getty

Gabi Garcia herself addressed the incident on her social media platforms, and her response was notably complex. Surprisingly, she seemed more upset about the physical pain the kiss caused than the kiss itself. “I’m more mad because he hurt my head than that he tried to kiss me. My head still hurts but look, it’s martial arts, right? Don’t blame the clown,” she reportedly wrote.

Garcia’s response also reflected on her career, likening the situation to a circus, where both she and Jones played the roles of clowns. “If I didn’t want nobody judging me or talking s* about me, or laughing about me, I probably would have stopped a long time ago, like 18 years ago,” she added.