Several pro fighters have reacted after Dana White announced that Jon Jones has officially retired and Tom Aspinall is now the UFC’s undisputed heavyweight champion.
During today’s UFC Baku post-fight press conference, Dana White stunned fight fans with the news that Jon Jones has decided to hang up his gloves for good.
“Jon Jones called us last night and retired,” White said. “Jon Jones is officially retired. Tom Aspinall is the heavyweight champion of the UFC.”
The UFC CEO had recently set a deadline for ‘Bones’ to accept a fight with the now former interim heavyweight champion in Tom Aspinall. That ultimatum was apparently enough to persuade Jones to walk away from the sport for good.
Jon Jones (28-1 MMA) had not competed since successfully defending the promotion‘s heavyweight title with a third-round TKO victory over former champ Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in November of last year (see that here).
Meanwhile, Tom Aspinall (15-3 MMA) has of course been on the sidelines waiting for ‘Bones’ ever since successfully defending the interim heavyweight title with a 60-second knockout victory over Curtis Blaydes in July of last year.
Following Dana White’s announcement of Jon Jones’ retirement, several pro fighters and MMA personalities took to Twitter to share their respective reactions:
Congrats champ. You deserve that
Now, lets make the only fight who make sense! Aspinall vs Almeida for undisputed HW title of the world
Gane ducks you and me before, already fought for the belt and lost 2-times, and his last win was a robbery@AspinallMMA @danawhite @Mickmaynard2 pic.twitter.com/RiTrNu4CCj— Jailton Almeida “Malhadinho” (@Malhadinho_UFC) June 21, 2025
Jon Jones retired and there isn’t anything massive put together for his announcement? Just a post fight 3 second clip of Dana annoying it….Seems like he’ll be back to me. #UFCBaku
— Julian marquez (@JMarquezMMA) June 21, 2025
Congratulations @JonnyBones on an awesome career. I am so blessed I got to be a part of it. Being able to tell my kids I was a part of the greatest fighter of all times story is something I will always cherish. Went out on top and did it your way! Enjoy your retirement habibi!
— Abe kawa (@Abraham_kawa) June 21, 2025
Congratulations to our champion 🥇💪🏼@AspinallMMA pic.twitter.com/IJCE5RNunf
— Muhammad Mokaev (@muhammadmokaev) June 21, 2025
Glad Jon Jones didn’t break Cain Velasquez HW title length as champion by not fighting. Glad MMA can move on from this chapter. It’s #TomTime @AspinallMMA https://t.co/QbTBW42Xb2
— Josh Thomson (@THEREALPUNK) June 21, 2025
👑 https://t.co/GdtydTmEzm
— DT (@darrentill2) June 21, 2025
👀👀👀 https://t.co/QgvFyGAmfQ
— GILBERT BURNS DURINHO (@GilbertDurinho) June 21, 2025
Congrats Jon Jones. You the GOAT.
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) June 21, 2025
Jon Jones (@JonnyBones) has called it a career! 🐐 #UFC https://t.co/HdJW3pbxDB
— bjpenndotcom (@bjpenndotcom) June 21, 2025
New era has begun 🏆 https://t.co/DjQHUF2IiK
— Charles “InnerG” Johnson (@innerGmma_ufc) June 21, 2025
While many fight fans will undoubtedly be upset with Jon Jones decision to retire, there is no doubt that ‘Bones’ has put together arguably the greatest career in UFC history. ‘Bones’ originally captured UFC gold by taking the light heavyweight title away from then champion Mauricio Shogun Rua with a third-round TKO victory in March of 2011. He went on to defend that 205lbs title on eight consecutive occasions, this before being forced to vacate the belt due to a positive drug test. Jones later reclaimed the undisputed light heavyweight title and then recorded another three title defenses before vacating the belt in order to move up to heavyweight, where he quickly claimed that title with a first-round submission victory over Ciryl Gane.
As for Tom Aspinall, the Brit has already issued a statement after being promoted to undisputed champion and is clearly eager to get to work on his own legacy.
UFC CEO Dana White has stated that he plans to meet with Aspinall during next weekend’s International Fight Week event in Las Vegas to plan what will come next.
