The fact of the matter is that Jon Jones was ducking Tom Aspinall during that year.
He chose to fight a days-from-petrification Stipe, then sat on the title ducking for a year, to the point that the interim champ had to defend his interim title (terrible for the division if you didn't know).
No one was "trying" to discredit Jon, he discredited himself, by ducking Tom Aspinall. He then retired and relinquished his title instead of fighting Tom Aspinall.
A Jones nutswinger accusing anyone of mental gymnastics is just laughable. I still remember "he's pretending to duck Aspinall to build hype for the fight!

"
Here's the thing, sport. The reality of the matter, regardless of the outcome of Tom's next fight or any of his fights afterwards or if he ever fights again, will always and forever be that
Jon Jones ducked Tom Aspinall because he was scared of losing.
Future events do not affect past events. I know that people have gotten stupider here over the years, but I certainly hope I don't have to explain to you that time moves linearly.
The only reality is that ever since Jon rode bitch on the back of a motorcycle gripping another man's hair into the sunset, tail tucked between his legs, even moving continents to duck Big Tom Aspinall's monumental presence, your family has been worried about you.
You keep mumbling about ducks and goats, they think you've had something known as a "farmer's shock," show them you're in a good state and get out there in the world, champ.
You're the GOAT of your own life, don't look up to another man for it!