Dana White Makes Massive Announcements About Jon Jones Retiring and Tom Aspinall's Promotion to Undisputed Heavyweight Champion
Dana White Makes Massive Announcements About Jon Jones Retiring and Tom Aspinall's Promotion to Undisputed Heavyweight Champion originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Jones, widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters of all time, has been involved in a prolonged standoff for the past year with UFC heavyweight interim champion Tom Aspinall. While Jones remained noncommittal, Aspinall was forced to defend his interim belt and sit out instead of fighting a unification bout. In a shocking turn of events, however, UFC CEO Dana White dropped a bombshell announcement that closes one of the most significant chapters in UFC history while ushering in a new era.
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During the UFC Baku post-fight press conference, UFC CEO Dana White revealed that Jon Jones has officially retired. With Jones' retirement now official, White also announced that Tom Aspinall has been crowned the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion.
Dana White UFC(Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
White told the press, 'Jon Jones called us last night and retired. Jon Jones has officially retired. Tom Aspinall is the heavyweight champion of the UFC.'
The announcement came after months of speculation regarding Jones' future, with the UFC heavyweight champion repeatedly hinting at walking away from the sport.
White was asked whether or not he regrets spending precious time trying to book Aspinall vs. Jones, to which he responded, 'If you look at what [Jones] has accomplished in the sport, no... I obviously feel bad for Tom that he lost all that time and money, but we'll make it up to him.'
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The British star, who held the interim title for nearly 600 days (the longest interim championship reign in UFC history), finally secures the undisputed status he has been working towards. Aspinall had grown increasingly vocal about the division's stagnation, declaring earlier this month that Jones had retired.
With Jones retiring, one of the most storied and controversial careers in MMA history now comes to an end. His departure from the UFC marks the end of an era, leaving Aspinall to lead the heavyweight division and bring excitement to the promotion.
The division itself, meanwhile, can finally move forward, after having been stuck in limbo since Jones's last title defense against Stipe Miocic in November 2024.
With Jones's saga officially over, the UFC now turns its attention to booking Aspinall's first title defense, with an announcement expected soon.
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Related: UFC Fans Blast Jon Jones After Reality Show With Nate Diaz Announced 'Just Strip Him Already'
Related: Heavyweight Drama: Jones vs. Ngannou 'Biggest Fight in UFC History'
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
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