JON JONES has vacated his UFC heavyweight title and RETIRED from mixed martial arts.
The 37-year-old had been on course for a mammoth title unification fight with Brit Tom Aspinall since his Madison Square Garden mauling of Stipe Miocic last November.
GETTYJon Jones has announced his retirement from mixed martial arts[/caption]
INSTAGRAM@TOMASPINALLThe UFC offered Jones a mammoth payday to unify the heavyweight titles against Brit Tom Aspinall[/caption]
GETTYBut the former pound-for-pound king has opted to hang up his gloves instead[/caption]
GETTYTom Aspinall has been elevated from interim heavyweight champion to undisputed[/caption]
Jones agreed to the historic showdown after the UFC met his demands to be paid “f**k you money” but quickly started flirting with the possibility of retirement.
And the former pound-for-pound king has opted to call time on his illustrious and chequered career WITHOUT sharing the cage with Aspinall.
UFC supremo Dana White announced Jones’ retirement in the early hours of the morning.
He said: “Jon Jones called us last night and retired.
“Jon Jones is officially retired and Tom Aspinall is the heavyweight champion of the UFC.”
Jones confirmed his retirement in a lengthy statement on X, writing: “Today, I’m officially announcing my retirement from the UFC.
“This decision comes after a lot of reflection, and I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for the journey I’ve experienced over the years.
“From the first time I stepped into the Octagon, my goal was to push the boundaries of what was possible in this sport.
“Becoming the youngest UFC champion in history, defending my title against some of the best fighters in the world, and sharing unforgettable moments with fans across the globe—these are memories I’ll cherish forever.
“I’ve faced incredible highs and some tough lows, but every challenge has taught me something valuable and made me stronger, both as a fighter and as a person.
“I want to thank the UFC, Dana, Hunter, Lorenzo, God, my family, coaches, teammates, and all the fans who have stood by me through every chapter.
“Your unwavering support and belief in me have been my foundation.
“To my fellow fighters, thank you for bringing out the best in me and for the respect we’ve shared inside and outside the cage.
“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.
GettyJones became the youngest champion in UFC history in 2011 aged 23[/caption]
GETTYHe ran roughshod through the division and registered eleven title defences in two reigns before leaving the division in 2020[/caption]
APJones would take a three-year hiatus before returning to the cage to claim the vacant heavyweight title[/caption]
“Thank you all for being part of this incredible journey with me. The best is yet to come.”
Wigan warrior Aspinall, 31, reacted to his elevation to undisputed heavyweight champion on Instagram.
He wrote: “For you fans, it’s time to get this heavyweight division going. An active undisputed champion.”
Jones will go down as one of the greatest, if not the, greatest mixed martial artist of all time.
He started his professional MMA journey back in 2008 after just EIGHT MONTHS of training and was picked up by the UFC after six fights.
I’m officially announcing my retirement from the UFC.”
Jon Jones
He won the light-heavyweight title just nine fights into his UFC run, slaying Pride and MMA legend Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua in the first round of their UFC 128 showdown in New Jersey to become the youngest champion in the promotion’s history aged 23.
A historic run of title defences would ensue in which he dismantled former champions Rampage Jackson, Lyoto Machida, Rashad Evans, Vitor Belfort and Glover Teixeira in addition to victories over Chael Sonnen, Alexander Gustaffson and bitter rival Daniel Cormier.
He’d be stripped of the 205lbs belt for his involvement in a felony hit and run in April 2015 but would regain it with a brutal knockout of Cormier in their rematch in the summer of 2017.
But a second failed drug test, the first of which scuppered a UFC 200 showdown with Cormier, would see him relieved of the belt again at the fight ruled a no contest.
Like his first anti-doping violation, he’d later be exonerated of intentionally taking the banned substance found in his system by an independent arbitrator.
He’d reclaim the light-heavyweight strap with a dominant victory over Gustafsson in their rematch in December 2018 and would bank three more title defences against Anthony Smith, Thiago Santos and Dominick Reyes before vacating the belt in February 2020 to make a long-overdue move up to heavyweight.
He returned to the cage three yars later to fight for the vacant heavyweight crown against Ciryl Gane and would become a two-division champion with a first-round submission of the Frenchman.
GETTYJon Jones’ sole defence of the heavyweight title came against Stipe Miocic last November[/caption]
GETTYThe former pound-for-pound king leaves the sport with an incredible resume but a long list of controversies[/caption]
UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden last November would ultimately be the final outing of Jones’ Hall of Fame career, which he closed out with a sensational spinning back TKO of former champ Miocic at Madison Square Garden.
Jones’ resume is unrivalled and his body of work will likely never be matched.
But he retires with asterisks next to his name due to his anti-doping violations, which he was cleared of any wrongdoing, and numerous transgressions outside of the cage.
Those include multiple DUIs, a felony hit and run, alleged battery of a cocktail waitress and an allegation of domestic violence against the mother of his children just hours after he was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.
He leaves the sport with a record of 28 victories and one defeat, the sole of which came via a controversial disqualification against Matt Hammill back in 2009.
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