Dana White: Jon Jones Retires, Tom Aspinall Is UFC Heavyweight Champ
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 04: Jon Jones enters the Octagon in the UFC heavyweight championship fight ... More during the UFC 285 event at T-Mobile Arena on March 04, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
The UFC heavyweight title reign of Jon Jones ended with a phone call. According to UFC CEO Dana White, Jones informed the UFC that he was retiring from the promotion. Jones has not fought since he defended his title in November 2024 with a TKO win over Stipe Miocic. According to White, interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall is now the undisputed UFC heavyweight champ.
The news of Jones retiring comes days after White said, 'We'll see how this thing plays out over the next couple of weeks. If we can't get this fight done, we'll move on quickly. ... We'll have answers in the next couple weeks.'
Dana White On Jon Jones Retiring
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 08: UFC CEO Dana White holds a press conference after the UFC 313 event at ... More T-Mobile Arena on March 08, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
"Jon Jones called us last night and retired. Jon Jones is officially retired. Tom Aspinall is the heavyweight champion of the UFC," White said during the post-fight press conference following Saturday's UFC Baku fight card.
"I obviously feel bad for Tom that he lost all that time and money, but we'll make it up to him," White added. "Tom Aspinall is a good guy. He's been incredible through this whole process that we've gone through. He's been willing to do anything – fight him anywhere at any time and do this. Now he's like, 'I'll fight anybody. Tell me who and I'll fight him.' Aspinall has been great. He's going to be a great heavyweight champion for us and I'm excited to work with him."
"International Fight Week starts Monday in Las Vegas," White continued. 'Tom will be in Vegas all week with us, so we'll get together with him and figure out what's next.'
Jon Jones's UFC Heavyweight Title Reign
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 16: Jon Jones of the United States of America reacts after his TKO ... More victory against Stipe Miocic of the United States of America in the UFC light heavyweight championship fight during the UFC 309 event at Madison Square Garden on November 16, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
A former UFC light heavyweight champion, Jones last defended that title in February 2020 with a decision win over Dominick Reyes. In August 2020, Jones surrendered that belt.
"Just got off the phone with UFC, today I confirm that I'm vacating the light heavyweight championship," Jones wrote on social media. 'It's officially up for grabs. It's been an amazing journey, sincere thank you to all my competition, UFC and most importantly you fans.'
When Jones returned to action in Mach 2023, it was as a heavyweight. He defeated Ciryl Gane for the vacant UFC heavyweight title with a submission win. Jones defended the crown once, beating Miocic by TKO in November 2024.
Dana White Said At UFC 316 That Jon Jones Had Agreed To Fight Tom Aspinall
MONTREAL, QUEBEC - MAY 09: UFC CEO Dana White waves to the crowd during the UFC 315 ceremonial ... More weigh-in at Bell Centre on May 09, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC)
Earlier this month, White said Jones had agreed to fight Aspinall.
"It's definitely the process with Jon Jones," White said of the ongoing negotiations between the UFC and Jones at the UFC 316 post-fight press conference. "I've been going through this since the day he started this. It's definitely the process. Him and Anderson Silva, every time throughout the history of being in business with those guys when it comes time to get them fights, it's like dealing with artists. It's interesting.
"It's Aspinall's fight. We've been talking to this kid forever about it and it's his fight. Listen, you can't make people fight. If Jon doesn't want to fight, you can't make him fight. We can try to make him fight. We can throw things at him that inspire him to want to fight but we'll figure it out."
"But yes, Jon agreed to fight Tom, fact," White added in closing.
Tom Aspinall Was The Longest Serving Interim Champion
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 16: Interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall looks on during the ... More UFC heavyweight championship fight during the UFC 309 event at Madison Square Garden on November 16, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Aspinall won the interim UFC heavyweight crown in November 2023 with a knockout victory over Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295. Aspinall took that fight on short notice when the original main event for that card, Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic for Jones's heavyweight title was scrapped following an injury to Jones.
Despite Aspinall winning the interim crown, UFC CEO Dana White remained steadfast in saying that Jones vs. Miocic was the fight to make.
That fight did not take place until November 2024. Jones held on to his belt that night, beating Miocic by TKO in the third round. By that time, Aspinall had already defended his interim crown, scoring a first-round knockout win over Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 in July 2024.
Aspinall, who has not fought since he defeated Blaydes, had been waiting for the title unification bout with Jones since Jones's win over Miocic in November. In late April, Aspinall became the longest-serving UFC interim champion, topping the 535-day reign of Renan Barao, who defended his interim title twice before being named undisputed champion.
We will have more on Jon Jones, Tom Aspinall and the UFC heavyweight title as news becomes available.
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