UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall is now undisputed champion after Jon Jones’ sudden retirement from competition. According to UFC CEO Dana White, Jones informed the promotion on Friday of his decision to retire at the age of 37. With this move, Aspinall’s title defense has been scheduled for next week.
Jones had been booked for a heavyweight title unification bout with Aspinall but downplayed its significance, stating that a win over Aspinall would have done nothing for his legacy. The bout would have been one of the biggest in UFC history. Jones’ decision comes after reflection and an announcement on social media, where he expressed gratitude for his journey and commitment to continuing to contribute to MMA.
Jones has a 28-1 record in the UFC, capturing the vacant heavyweight championship from Ciryl Gane in 2023. He defended his title once during his 27-month reign, beating Stipe Miocic via TKO at UFC 309. Jones was considered one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time, holding titles in multiple weight classes.
However, Jones’ career has been marred by controversy, including a hit-and-run incident and a suspension for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. The UFC is working with Aspinall to book his first title defense, and White expressed support for the champion.
Source: https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/45558671/jon-jones-retires-competition-ufc-ceo-dana-white-says