UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones continues to ponder unifying the heavyweight belts in a showdown with Tom Aspinall.
Jon Jones continues to tease UFC fans about his fighting future months after beginning negotiations with the promotion to fight interim titleholder Tom Aspinall. Jones nearly broke the internet earlier this week when a leaked conversation with a fighter featured the heavyweight champ declaring ‘I’m done’ when pushed about his activity in the Octagon.
Jones didn’t take long to reverse course on that declaration, easing fan fears of a UFC retirement in a follow-up social media post. Afterwards, Aspinall shared footage of him ramping up his training camp work, reigniting fan excitement behind the possible Jones matchup.
But hours later, Jones revamped fears of the Aspinall fight not coming to fruition.
Jon Jones shares latest UFC retirement update after week of social media flip flops
Jones teased retirement in the lead-up to his UFC 309 win over Stipe Miocic, in his long-awaited first heavyweight title defense. He briefly eyed a matchup with Alex Pereira, over Aspinall, before Pereira lost the UFC light heavyweight title to Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313.
After previously dismissing a showdown with Aspinall, due to personal disdain towards the interim titleholder, Jones reversed course in his post-fight interview at UFC 309 with Joe Rogan. But six months removed from UFC 309, Jones and Aspinall don’t seem closer to having a matchup come to fruition.
Jones’s latest comments won’t help quell UFC fans’ fears of the all-time great walking away before fighting Aspinall.
In a recent post on X, Jones answered a fan who asked him about how it feels to be a retired athlete.
“I don’t know if I wanna call it retired, I feel like I’ll always have an ability to pop out and show em. I’ve had many breaks throughout my career, my identity outside of fighting is well intact,” Jones answered.
“I’m genuinely enjoying life, I’m growing in different ways.”
UFC fans weren’t hearing it from Jones after his latest remarks.
“Just stop holding the belt hostage,” one fan replied on X.
“So you don’t want the smoke with Tommy?” another said.
“Your identity outside of fighting is absolutely horrendous, mate. This is the one time in your whole career where you have a fight that the fans truly want to see, you’ll get paid well for it, and you’re running away?”
“Just vacate the title admit retirement and you won’t have to see a British animal in your nightmares any longer.”
“Jon is severely retired.”
“After all your time in the UFC and everything it has given you then don’t you feel you owe it to the company to let the heavyweight division move on?”
“Bro thinks he’s the main character still. Never was the biggest draw and never will be.”
“Terrified of a polite English man.”
As of this writing, Jones hasn’t provided further comment on the state of the Aspinall fight and a potential retirement from MMA.
Jon Jones vs. Nate Diaz reality TV show cancelled after chaotic on-set brawl
Jones’s scheduled reality television showdown with Nate Diaz was abruptly cancelled after a chaotic on-set brawl between fighters and Diaz’s team. After the incident, several Russian fighters stalked Diaz and his team around Thailand on motorcycles in an attempt to intimidate the former UFC superstar.
Diaz and Jones were supposed to square off as coaches on a spinoff of The Ultimate Fighter in Thailand, featuring many promising MMA prospects in the region. Jones coached TUF once during his legendary career opposite Chael Sonnen.
As Jones continues to enjoy some down time in Thailand, many UFC fans are beginning to lose their patience with the UFC heavyweight champion. But UFC CEO Dana White remains adamant that the promotion will book the Jones vs. Aspinall showdown for later this year.
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