Latest news with #HeavyweightChampion
Daily Mail
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Jon Jones drops major hint over potential Tom Aspinall fight after UFC legend made shock retirement U-turn
UFC legend Jon Jones has admitted that he now 'likes' the idea of a fight against Tom Aspinall, just days after making a stunning retirement U-turn. On Friday, the 37-year-old took to social media to claim he had re-entered the company's drug-testing pool, just two weeks after calling time on his career. UFC President Dana White had previously revealed Jones' intent to hang up his gloves and confirmed that a fight against British star Tom Aspinall would not happen. However, it seems that the prospect of featuring on a UFC card that would take place on the White House lawn has proved too tempting for Jones to ignore. President Donald Trump announced he wants a card to take place at the White House during America's 250th birthday next July - which lead to Jones' U-turn. Now, the former heavyweight champion has gone a step further and dropped a major hint over a potential bout against Aspinall. Jones commented on a post on Instagram which depicted him fighting - and beating - Aspinall at the White House, with the British star left on the floor while Jones sat triumphantly. In response, the 37-year-old wrote: 'I like this'. Jones vs Aspinall would have undoubtedly been the biggest fight this year and the American has been accused of avoiding the Brit for some time now. Jones - who boasts a professional record of 28-1 - won the vacant heavyweight title back in March 2023, however refused to face interim champion Aspinall. Instead, Jones persisted on a fight with fellow UFC legend Stipe Miocic - which he won comfortably - back in November and has not fought since. Aspinall, meanwhile, won the UFC interim heavyweight title back in November 2023 but was forced to wait for Jones to make a decision over his future in the cage. After Jones confirmed his retirement, Aspinall was promoted to undisputed heavyweight champion. The British star previously made one interim title defence - against Curtis Blaydes in July 2024 - and has been eager to step foot inside the octagon once again. Despite the impressive performances from Aspinall in the UFC, Jones insisted =that a bout against the British heavyweight 'does nothing for his legacy'. Jones holds the record for the most wins in UFC, with 16 and is typically regarded as one of the best fighters ever. Meanwhile, less than 24 hours after his retirement last month, it emerged that Jones was facing a misdemeanor charge of fleeing the scene of an accident. A criminal summons accusing Jones of the charge was filed in Albuquerque Metropolitan Court. Jones has been called to appear in court on July 24 for a bond arraignment. His lawyer said he was stunned by the charge and believes the police are wrongly targeting his client. A police officer was said to be investigating a road accident on February 21 when they discovered a woman in the passenger seat of one of the vehicles, according to a police report obtained by Mail Sport. The woman was reportedly 'exhibiting signs of significant intoxication and lacking clothing from the waist down.'
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
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. Advertisement 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.' Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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.
Yahoo
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Video: Reacting to Jon Jones' retirement, Tom Aspinall now undisputed champ
Huge news for the MMA world: Jon Jones has officially retired. The former UFC light heavyweight king, and most recently heavyweight champion, has decided to hang up his gloves and put an end to a historic career – arguably the greatest seen in the sport. UFC CEO Dana White broke the news Saturday during the post-fight press conference for UFC on ABC 8 in Baku, Azerbaijan. In response, Tom Aspinall has been promoted from interim to undisputed champion, and is expected to resume title defenses at heavyweight sometime in 2025. Advertisement Jones' decision to walk away from MMA comes after months of controversy and frustration when a title unification bout between him and Aspinall would not come to fruition. There also are new legal troubles for Jones with some serious allegations and pending court summons for leaving the scene of an accident in Albuquerque, N.M., earlier this year. MMA Junkie's Danny Segura and Mike Bohn react and unpack the entire situation in the video above. This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Video reaction: Jon Jones retires, Tom Aspinall undisputed champ
The National
22-06-2025
- Sport
- The National
UFC legend Jon Jones retires, Tom Aspinall becomes heavyweight champion
UFC legend and heavyweight champion Jon Jones has retired from the sport, according to president and CEO Dana White. The news, which White announced during a press conference in Azerbaijan on Saturday night, means that Britain's Tom Aspinall, the interim belt holder, has been upgraded to full champion. 'Jon Jones called us last night and retired,' said White. 'Jon Jones is officially retired. Tom Aspinall is the heavyweight champion of the UFC. 'Do I regret the time that I gave [Jones to decide]? Listen, if you look at what he's accomplished in the sport, no.' Jones, 37, claimed the heavyweight title in March 2023 and defended against Stipe Miocic last November - despite Aspinall, the rising star of the division, claiming the interim belt the year before. Aspinall, 32, has campaigned long and hard for a fight with Jones, but the American refused to entertain the idea. Jones is widely regarded as one of the best mixed martial artists of all time, but infuriated fans by claiming that fighting Aspinall would not add to his legacy. Aspinall reacted via his social media, saying: 'For you fans, it's time to get this heavyweight division going. An active undisputed champion.' The Manchester fighter (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) is expected to defend the title this summer and is likely to face No1 contender Ciryl Gane. Aspinall has not fought since July 2024. 'I obviously feel bad for Tom that he lost all that time and obviously money, but we'll make it up to him,' said White. 'Tom Aspinall's a good guy. He's been incredible through this whole process. 'He's been willing to do anything, fight him anywhere at any time and do this, and now he's like 'I'll fight anybody – you tell me who and I'll fight them'.' Jones, who turns 38 on July 19, compiled a 28-1 record (11 TKOs) in capturing UFC titles at light heavyweight and heavyweight. White's announcement countered Jones' own words on Thursday when he appeared on the Full Send podcast. 'I don't want to say that I'm retired because fighting is in my blood,' Jones said on the podcast. 'Right now, I could really care less about fighting. I've been doing it my whole life at a very high level and when the itch comes back – and if it comes back – then I'll do it with my whole heart, do it to the best of my abilities. 'I think I will fight again. Where the future of combat sports is going, it's going to be amazing when I pop back up.' Jones has had a troubled history out of the octagon, where he became the youngest UFC title holder at age 23 with a win over Mauricio Rua for the 205-pound crown. Jones, who is 16-0 in UFC title bouts, has dealt with legal issues as well as a year-long suspension in 2016 for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs – a result he disputes.
Al Jazeera
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Al Jazeera
Tom Aspinall is UFC's undisputed heavyweight champ as Jon Jones retires
Mixed martial arts (MMA) legend Jon Jones has retired, and interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has been elevated to the undisputed title holder, Dana White, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) president and CEO, confirmed. 'Jon Jones called us last night and retired,' White said during a news conference on Saturday in Azerbaijan, where UFC Fight Night was held. 'Jon Jones is officially retired. Tom Aspinall is the heavyweight champion of the UFC.' Jones, who turns 38 on July 19, has compiled a win-loss record of 28-1 with 11 total knockouts (TKOs), capturing UFC titles at light heavyweight and heavyweight. He was in line for a highly anticipated unification bout with Aspinall, 32, who became the UFC's interim heavyweight champion in November 2023 when an injured Jones could not fight. Englishman Aspinall (15-3 win-loss in MMA, 11 TKOs, 8-1 win-loss in UFC) posted a message on Instagram after White's announcement. 'For you fans. It's time to get this heavyweight division going,' wrote Aspinall, 32. 'An active undisputed champion.' New era at heavyweight 😤 The undisputed heavyweight champ (@AspinallMMA) is ready to get things going! — UFC (@ufc) June 21, 2025 Jones last fought on November 16, 2024, winning by a third-round TKO over Stipe Miocic. Jones has won six consecutive bouts since a no contest with Daniel Cormier on July 29, 2017. White's announcement countered words of Jones on Thursday when he appeared on the 'Full Send' podcast. 'I don't want to say that I'm retired because fighting's in my blood,' Jones said on the podcast, per multiple media reports. 'Right now, I could really care less about fighting. I've been doing it my whole life at a very high level and when the itch comes back – and if it comes back too, then I'll do it with my whole heart, do it to the best of my abilities.' Jones has had a chequered history out of the octagon, where he became the youngest UFC title holder at age 23 with a win over Mauricio Rua for the 205-pound crown. Jones, who is 16-0 in UFC title bouts, has dealt with legal issues was well as a yearlong suspension in 2016 for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs – a result he disputes. Rountree Jr downs Hill in Baku Meanwhile, former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Khalil Rountree Jr earned a dominant unanimous decision against Jamahal Hill in the main event of the Fight Night, taking the cards 49-46, 50-45, 50-45. Utilising leg kicks and knocking the former light heavyweight champion down on several occasions, Rountree Jr (15-6 win-loss in MMA) is open to multiple options for his next fight, as long as he remains in the light heavyweight title picture. 'I didn't come in here underestimating Jamahal,' Rountree said. Hill (12-4 win-loss in MMA) has lost three in a row and is searching for his first win since January 2023. The co-main event went the way of hometown lightweight Rafael Fiziev (13-4 win-loss in MMA), winning a unanimous decision against Ignacio Bahamondes 30-27, 30-27, 30-27 for his first victory since July 2022. Fiziev's striking ability made the difference, as it was the first loss for Bahamondes (17-6 win-loss in MMA) since August 2023. Fiziev does not prefer whom he fights next, as he entered the bout ranked 11th in the division. Heavyweight Curtis Blaydes outlasted debutant Rizvan Kuniev, earning a split decision 29-28, 28-29, 29-28. Blaydes (19-5 win-loss in MMA) bounced back after falling victim to UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall last July at UFC 304. In one of the most high-octane UFC fights in recent memory, lightweight Nazim Sadykhov overcame a Herculean effort from Nikolas Motta to secure a late second-round TKO at 4:17. Sadykhov was nearly finished by a plethora of Motta strikes in the first round before Sadykhov turned the fight around in the second. Sadykhov (11-1-1 win-loss MMA) has won 11 of his last 13 fights, landing a 75-punch combination to seal the deal. Motta (15-6 win-loss MMA) suffered his first loss since June 2023.
