UFC President Dana White said Saturday that Jon Jones, the UFC heavyweight champ and former light heavyweight champion, has retired.
What was originally expected to be a confirmation of an expected fight between Jones and Aspinall turned into a highly unexpected affair. ‘Jon Jones called us last night and retired. Jon Jones is officially retired. Tom Aspinall is the heavyweight champion of the UFC,’ White said Saturday in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Jones had won the vacant heavyweight title in March 2023 with a submission win over Ciryl Gane. Jones had been three years removed from the sport at that time. He defended the title in November 2024, when he took down Stipe Miocic with a spinning back kick KO. However, Jones has since been MIA, emboldening a narrative that Jones was ducking the Aspinall fight.
Renewed issues with the law may have also played a role. Late Saturday night, the Albuquerque Journal reported that Jones has been accused of leaving the scene of an accident in February, with a criminal summons filed on Tuesday, June 17. According to the report, Jones has been called to appear for a bond arraignment on Tuesday, July 24.
Tom Aspinall wanted the fight
Aspinall, 32, had wanted to fight Jones, 37, for quite some time. He’d tried provoking Jones earlier this year, declaring himself the ‘rightful’ heavyweight champ after Jones continued to delay a fight between them.
White had previously said that a fight between Aspinall and Jones was set but that the paperwork had not been signed. That statement was also the first time White warned Jones that he might be forced to relinquish his title. With Jones retiring, his title has been given to Aspinall.
Jon Jones’ latest comments on his status with UFC
Jones confirmed his retirement late Saturday with a post on X.
In the post, Jones briefly reminisced about his biggest accomplishments before thanking the UFC and everyone that made his all-time great career possible. He finished his statement with, ‘As I close this chapter of my life, I look forward to new opportunities and challenges ahead. MMA will always be a part of who I am, and I’m excited to see how I can continue to contribute to the sport and inspire others in new ways. Thank you all for being part of this incredible journey with me. The best is yet to come.’
A few days prior, Jones had said on a podcast that he had no current interest in fighting.
‘I don’t want to say I’m retired because fighting is in my blood. Right now, I could really care less about fighting,’ said Jones. ‘I’ve been doing it my entire life at a very high level. When the itch comes back, and if it comes back, then I’ll do it with my whole heart. I’ll do it to the best of my abilities.’
This story has been updated with new information.