Cheima Moufdil
Jon Jones has officially walked away from the sport. UFC CEO Dana White revealed the news during the post-fight press conference at UFC Baku, announcing that Jones had called the promotion the previous night to confirm his retirement. With that, Tom Aspinall is now recognized as the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion.
Jones later released a statement confirming the decision, bringing closure to a months-long saga that had left the heavyweight division in limbo. Just days earlier, Jones had publicly stated his waning interest in fighting, hinting at retirement without fully committing. But with White recently imposing a deadline for finalizing the long-awaited Jones vs. Aspinall title unification bout, the former champion ultimately made the call to step away.
The timing of Jones' retirement is significant—it comes seven months after his win over Stipe Miocic and after a prolonged period of inactivity that put the heavyweight division on pause. Despite the disruption, White expressed no regrets about allowing Jones the time to decide his future, citing his legacy in the sport.
Meanwhile, Tom Aspinall is left with mixed emotions. The Englishman was preparing for the biggest fight of his career, a chance to dethrone one of the sport's all-time greats. Though that opportunity has slipped away, he now stands atop the heavyweight division with a championship belt and a promising road ahead. White praised Aspinall’s patience and professionalism throughout the process, vowing to make up for the time and opportunities lost.
Aspinall remains ready and eager to defend his title against whoever is next. Potential contenders include Ciryl Gane, a two-time title challenger, and Jailton Almeida, who has built momentum with back-to-back wins. While the exact timeline for Aspinall’s return is unclear, the next era of heavyweight MMA has officially begun—with Jon Jones no longer in the picture.