Jon Jones does not plan on recognizing the ‘former’ in his UFC champion tag any time soon.
Jones gave up the heavyweight belt in June after months of uncertainty about his future. The light heavyweight legend had been accused by many of holding the throne hostage by refusing to unify the titles against then-interim champ Tom Aspinall.
Finally, clarity emerged when Dana White announced Jones’ retirement while in Azerbaijan for a UFC Fight Night in Baku. That news saw Aspinall elevated to undisputed status and an illustrious but often controversial career reach its conclusion.
Or did it?
Not only has ‘Bones’ already reversed his decision to hang up the gloves, but he’s also refusing to acknowledge his current absence from a UFC throne.
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Jon Jones insists he is a ‘Forever Champion’ after all he has done in the UFC
Jones riled up fans recently when he referred to himself as the “UFC heavyweight champion of the world” in a social media video. And it seems like that could become a habit moving forward.
A similar situation was pointed out as Jones promoted the Ketone energy drink. The 38-year-old appears on brand material and is labeled the UFC heavyweight champion.
When that was pointed out to him as a “straight up lie,” Jones explained that he still, and will always, feel as though he is a UFC titleholder.
“Man, we should’ve stamped Forever Champion on it,” Jones wrote on X. “After everything I’ve done in the UFC so far, I still wake up every morning feeling like the champ of the world. That’s a feeling no one can ever take away from me.”
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Jon Jones’ latest side quest away from the UFC Octagon
The former two-division UFC champion’s retirement did not last long. Jones quickly announced comeback plans after showing interest in president Donald Trump’s event at the White House to celebrate July 4 next year.
For now, though, the Rochester native is completing side quests away from the cage, the latest of which took him to the Russian capital.
After attracting attention with the video announcing his arrival in Moscow, Jones went on to attend the IBA Bare Knuckle fight card on July 26.
From a handshake snub from UFC heavyweight Sergei Pavlovich to an offer for Jones to fight in the Red Square, the GOAT contender had plenty of memorable moments on Russian soil.