Anderson Silva has sent Jon Jones a heartfelt message following his shock UFC retirement this past Saturday.
After several months of delaying his comeback to the Octagon, it was announced by Dana White this past Saturday that Jon Jones has officially retired from the UFC.
And with that, Tom Aspinall has been upgraded to the undisputed heavyweight champion after waiting for Jones to return, and has vowed that he will get the division moving again, setting himself a huge goal.
Although Jones’ retirement post on social media was hijacked by fans continuing to call him a duck, he scored a ‘rare W’ just days later when his career was credited by his biggest rival Daniel Cormier.
Anderson Silva sends Jon Jones a heartfelt message following retirement
Although Jones is widely regarded as the greatest fighter of all time, his career was filled with controversy, from suspensions for failed drug tests to suspensions for his actions outside of the cage.
And with him being one of the biggest combat sports stars of all time, tributes from fellow athletes have been pouring in since his retirement.
Demetrious Johnson, who is also in the GOAT conversation, wasn’t as supportive as many as he questioned why Jones didn’t fight Aspinall.
Khabib Nurmagomedov, on the other hand, declared Jones as the greatest fighter of all time, thanking him for inspiring millions around the world.
Another fighter who many UFC fans consider as the greatest fighter of all time is Anderson Silva, and the Brazilian has reacted to Jones’ retirement with a heartfelt message.
“My brother, thank you for every magical moment. Your dominance inside the cage is unmatched, and this marks the end of yet another legendary era,” Silva said.
Jon Jones announces huge career change just days after retirement
Despite having retired from the UFC, it is unclear whether the 37-year-old will return to combat sports in any capacity, as he is the co-owner of surging promotion Dirty Boxing Championship.
However, just a few days after his official retirement, Jones has announced that he has signed a deal with Ketone-IQ as he looks to create a ‘true legacy’.