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The Irish Sun
13-07-2025
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Jon Jones makes major career decision and puts shock phone call in to Dana White and UFC brass amid Tom Aspinall fallout
JON JONES has seemingly made yet another major decision about his fighting future, just weeks after retiring from mixed martial arts. The former two-division champion ended fans' hopes of a mega heavyweight title unification bout with 5 Jon Jones announced his retirement from mixed martial arts late last month Credit: GETTY 5 But he performed a U-turn earlier this month, just two weeks after hanging up his gloves Credit: GETTY 5 Jones has now claimed he wants to fight on Donald Trump's proposed UFC White House Card Credit: GETTY But the 37-year-old performed a major U-turn on his retirement last week by re-entering the UFC's drug testing pool . Jones has continued to umm and ahh over the idea of fighting again, although the prospect of facing Aspinall seemingly doesn't get his competitive juices flowing. But the prospect of fighting at the proposed UFC White House card next year to mark America's 250th anniversary has piqued his interest. And not long after learning of the promotion's grand plans, Jones put a call into Dana White and Co. READ MORE ON UFC NEWS In his latest X-posting spree, he wrote: "Donald made his announcement on the morning of the fourth of July. "I called the UFC headquarters that very same afternoon. I'll leave it at that. "America! Now that tickets my pickle." Jones believes a fight on the grounds of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue will be the most "epic" of his long and illustrious career. Most read in MMA JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 5 He said: "It would be [the most epic fight in history]. "For me, it's about the opportunity to represent America at the White House." Tom Aspinall Fires Not So Subtle Dig At Jon Jones After UFC Retirement (1) MMA fans worldwide are hoping that Brit and the new undisputed heavyweight king Aspinall will face off against Jones if he indeed fights at the White House. It would be fitting given that America, of course, got its independence from the United Kingdom . Jones, however, could care little about who he fights at this moment in time. He roared: "I don't care who I fight that night. I found my reason why, that's what I needed. 5 Jon Jones stopped Stipe Miocic with a sensational spinning back kick in his sole defence of the UFC heavyweight title Credit: GETTY "Something more than money ." Jones was offered the biggest payday of his Hall-of-Fame career after demanding " F**K YOU MONEY " to unify the interim and undisputed belts against Aspinall. UFC supremo White claims Jones initially accepted the offer on the table before performing a U-turn and deciding to retire. Jones - who
The Irish Sun
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
‘Need to cut him' – Fans call for UFC star Rodolfo Bellato to be AXED by Dana White after controversial ‘dive'
UFC fans have called for Dana White to axe Rodolfo Bellato for seemingly pretending to be knocked out by an illegal upkick from Paul Craig. The pair's rescheduled light-heavyweight showdown in Atlanta ended in a No Contest this morning after the Brazilian was deemed unable to continue after being kicked in the face. 6 Paul Craig's rescheduled showdown with Rodolfo Bellato ended in controversy Credit: SHUTTERSTOCK 6 Craig caught the Brazilian with an illegal upkick seconds before the end of the first round Credit: SHUTTERSTOCK 6 Brazilian Bellator appeared to be knocked out by the strike Credit: SHUTTERSTOCK 6 But replays appeared to show the 29-year-old was still conscious as he theatrically fell backwards Credit: SHUTTERSTOCK Scottish submission specialist Craig struck a postured-up Bellato - who had one knee on the canvas - with the kick seconds before the end of the first round. Bellato initially looked like he'd been knocked out by the strike as he lay on the canvas with his arms sprawled out. But replays showed the Dana White's Contenders Series contract winner was still conscious as he theatrically fell to the mat. Bellato seemingly regained consciousness very quickly and, in an apparent daze, tried to protect himself by scooting his back to the cage wall. READ MORE UFC NEWS The former LFA champion was deemed unable to keep fighting, resulting in the contest being ruled a No Contest. MMA fans weren't convinced Bellato was genuinely hurt by the upkick and took to X to call for the UFC to cut the 29-year-old for play-acting. One wrote: "Rodolfo Bellato faked a brutal KO just to try and get a cheap win over Paul Craig. "What a complete embarrassment!!! The UFC needs to cut him immediately." Most read in MMA JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 6 Rodolfo Bellato was deemed unable to continue the contest Credit: ALAMY 6 UFC fans have called for Dana White to axe Rodolfo Bellato for his apparent playacting Credit: GETTY Another said: "Cut his a** immediately! And another said: "I told my son right away he was obviously faking, thinking Craig would be disqualified. Absolutely insane." Paul Craig Admits He Faces UFC AXE If He Loses UFC Vegas 106 Bout One remarked: "Bro protested and faked being concussed all in the space of five seconds. Embarrassment to the sport." Another chimed in: "Yeah, Dana should fire this guy immediately. Who does that?" One stunned viewer said: "That dive by Bellato was top tier." Craig addressed the narrative that Bellato flopped in his post-fight press conference, saying: "A few people messaged me regarding this. I don't want to think any fighter is looking for an easy way out in this sport." Paul Craig on Rodolfo Bellato's apparent playacting "And they're saying that it looked a bit floppish, like he was maybe hamming it up. 'I don't want to think any fighter is looking for an easy way out in this sport. We're all fighters. "We're all in the UFC, the pinnacle of our careers, and we're looking to put on a performance. 'But I can see where people are looking at and think it looks a bit 'floppishly', 'he's maybe taking a dive.' 'I don't really think that, but I'll need to watch it back. It's raw at the moment.'
