Jon Jones Stuns UFC: Retires Abruptly, Snubs Epic Aspinall Clash!
Photo credit - ESPN
UFC CEO Dana White revealed on Saturday that Jon Jones, widely regarded as the greatest mixed martial artist ever, has retired from the sport. White shared that Jones, aged 37, notified the UFC of his decision on Friday, halting plans for a heavyweight title unification fight against interim champion Tom Aspinall. As a result, Aspinall has been named the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion.
Speaking at a press conference in Azerbaijan, White stated, “Jon Jones called last night and retired. Tom Aspinall is now the UFC heavyweight champion.” Jones has not yet commented on the announcement. White noted that the UFC will begin planning Aspinall’s first title defense next week.
Jones (28-1) transitioned from light heavyweight to win the vacant heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane in 2023. He defended it once, securing a third-round TKO against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in November, during his 27-month reign. A potential clash with Aspinall was highly anticipated, but Jones dismissed its significance, claiming it wouldn’t enhance his legacy. This led to accusations of avoiding Aspinall, with an online petition to strip Jones of his title gaining nearly 200,000 signatures.
White expressed sympathy for Aspinall’s lost opportunity but praised his professionalism, saying, “Tom’s been incredible through this process. He’s ready to fight anyone, anywhere. He’s going to be a great heavyweight champion, and I’m excited to work with him.”
Based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Jones has long been hailed as MMA’s greatest. At 21, he became the youngest UFC champion by defeating Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua for the light heavyweight title in 2011. He holds a perfect 16-0 record in UFC title fights, a record, and is among nine fighters to win UFC titles in two weight classes. His 22 UFC wins rank fifth all-time.
Jones’s career, however, was marred by off-cage troubles. In 2015, he faced felony hit-and-run charges after fleeing a crash that injured a pregnant woman. In 2016, he was suspended for a year after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs, which he attributed to contaminated supplements.