Jon Jones retires from UFC; Tom Aspinall named undisputed heavyweight champion

Sports

add

Jon Jones, one of the most dominant and skilled fighters in mixed martial arts history, has retired from competition, UFC CEO Dana White said.

White announced Jones’ retirement during a news conference Saturday, saying Jones, 37, informed the promotion Friday that he was stepping away from the octagon.

“Jon Jones called us last night and retired. Jon Jones is officially retired,” White said after the UFC on ABC event featuring Khalil Rountree Jr. and Jamahal Hill. “Tom Aspinall is the heavyweight champion of the UFC.”

At 535 days, Aspinall (15-3) held the interim heavyweight title longer than anyone in UFC history. His promotion Saturday makes him the undisputed UFC Heavyweight Champion, his first full title for the company.

White’s remarks came in response to a question about a deadline he gave Jones to decide whether he would fight Aspinall or allow UFC to strip him of his heavyweight title. Jones, Aspinall and the UFC had spent nearly a year negotiating terms for a matchup between the two, but now the highly anticipated fight might never happen.

“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,” Jones wrote on X. “Thank you all for being part of this incredible journey with me. The best is yet to come.”

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…

— Jonny Meat (@JonnyBones) June 22, 2025

The retirement announcement comes as Jones faces a new criminal charge in Albuquerque, N.M., where he currently resides, though there is no sign his decision is tied to the incident.

Court records first reported by the Albuquerque Journal show Jones was charged with a misdemeanor Feb. 24, accused of leaving the scene of an accident. The complaint was not filed until June 17, however, and it’s unclear why. Jones is scheduled for a hearing in the case July 24.

Shortly after White’s announcement, which did not mention the allegations, Aspinall posted a picture of himself holding the heavyweight title on Instagram.

“For you fans. It’s time to get this Heavyweight division going. An active Undisputed Champion,” he wrote.

Jones originally won the vacant title against Ciryl Gane on March 4, 2023, at UFC 285. It was his first time winning the heavyweight belt and his fourth UFC title overall. The win tied him with Hall of Famer Georges St-Pierre for the second-most titles in UFC history.

During his heavyweight championship reign, Jones only made one title defense, defeating former two-time champ Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in November. Jones previously held the UFC light heavyweight championship twice, from 2011 to 2015, and again from 2018 to 2020. He also held the interim light heavyweight title for several months in 2016 before being stripped after a one-year suspension over a failed pre-fight drug test.

One of nine fighters to hold UFC titles in multiple weight classes, Jones is tied for the fifth-most wins in UFC history (22). The only loss in his 28-1 professional record came via a controversial disqualification against Matt Hamill in 2009. After the fight, Hamill himself said he “definitely didn’t win” the bout.

Jones became the youngest UFC champion in history when he won the light heavyweight belt in 2011 at 23 years old, and he still holds numerous light heavyweight records, including most title defenses (15), most wins (20) and longest win streak (13). He is also tied with Hall of Famer Anderson Silva for the second-most pay-per-view main events in UFC history (17).

Alongside the accolades, Jones’ career has been mired in controversies. The latest hit-and-run charge is the second of his career. His first light heavyweight title reign ended in 2015 when he was convicted of fleeing a crash that injured another person, and police said they found marijuana paraphernalia in his vehicle. UFC stripped Jones of the belt and suspended him indefinitely. He pleaded guilty in the case and served 18 months of probation.

Jones pleaded no contest to assault charges in July 2019 and received a 90-day deferred sentence for assaulting a cocktail waitress. He was arrested again in September 2021, this time in connection with his alleged involvement in a separate domestic battery incident. Those charges were later dropped. He faced additional, separate assault charges in March 2024 that Jones resolved by agreeing to undergo anger management courses.

He has also been involved in multiple drug policy violations that cast shadows over his UFC fights and affected his legacy in the sport.

As for the UFC heavyweight division’s future, White said he is working with Aspinall to decide his first title defense.

“I obviously feel bad for Tom that he lost all that time and money, but we’ll make it up to him. Tom Aspinall is a good guy. He’s been incredible through this whole process that we’ve gone through,” White said. “He’s been willing to do anything, fight him anywhere and anytime and do this, and now he’s like, ‘I’ll fight anybody. You tell me who, and I’ll fight him.’ So, Aspinall has been great. He’s going to be a great heavyweight champion for us, and I’m excited to work with him.”

(Photo of Jon Jones: Sarah Stier / Getty Images)

This news was originally published on this post .