If there was one factor constant about Jon Jones’ largely inactive run because the second-longest reigning heavyweight champion in UFC historical past, it is that the G.O.A.T. in combined martial arts has needed nothing to do with preventing interim titleholder Tom Aspinall.
It solely took till at this time, some 840 days after Jones first turned a two-division champion by defeating Cyril Gane for the vacant heavyweight title, for UFC president/CEO Dana White to publicly imagine him.
In one of the vital disappointing moments in UFC’s illustrious historical past of forcing its finest fighters to combat each other as a result of promotion’s monopolistic management of the business, White introduced Saturday that the 37-year-old Jones has knowledgeable him of his determination to retire regardless of document cash on the desk for a unification combat in opposition to Aspinall that was greater than two years within the making.
Jon Jones retires: UFC president Dana White announces end of legendary career; Tom Aspinall now full champion
Brian Campbell
Not like different big-name UFC retirements in recent times, there was no video bundle to accompany White’s breaking information or any celebration of every thing Jones had completed all through his unmatched 17-year professional profession. Actually, the announcement occurred in the midst of the night time native time as White, whose appearances at such occasions has turn out to be something however computerized of late, sat down with reporters midway around the globe on the post-fight press convention following UFC’s inaugural go to to Baku, Azerbaijan.
White regarded noticeably sad but nonetheless very composed as he introduced Aspinall had been elevated to undisputed champion even if the 32-year-old heavyweight from England’s profession, to not point out the division at giant, had been so unjustly placed on maintain so White may play to the delicate ego of “Bones” for 2 years by declaring him to be the pound-for-pound finest on this planet every time a microphone was positioned in entrance of him.
All White may say when requested if he regretted the unfavorable fallout that got here from enabling Jones so shamelessly was, “For those who have a look at what [Jones] completed on this sport, no. It’s what it’s.”
If something, the influence of Jones’ announcement felt like the ultimate straw for any discerning UFC followers who’ve held again their complaints so long as attainable in 2025 regardless of watered-down matchmaking and insane ticket worth gouging amid a season wherein the promotion and its dad or mum firm, TKO World, have been furiously negotiating a number of suitors for a brand new broadcasting deal that they hope will triple their mixed contract to that of over $1 billion per yr.
The issue on this state of affairs is that there actually is not one particular person or group that deserves all the blame. If something, the saddest half about that is that everybody deserves the blame considerably equally.
Jones may’ve simply walked away following the harm he suffered instantly after defeating Gane, which led to a 20-month layoff wherein he was by no means stripped of the title. He may have additionally accomplished the identical final November when UFC allowed a very pointless title protection in opposition to a 41-year-old former champion in Stipe Miocic who hadn’t fought in three years (and hadn’t gained since 2020).
As a substitute, Jones stored up the phantasm that the combat was nonetheless attainable, whilst he repeatedly talked down about Aspinall’s business worth and lack of an elite resume in such legacy damaging ways in which led some media members and critics (like myself) to counsel that Jones was publicly negotiating for extra money or (even worse) colluding with UFC to delay the combat’s announcement till the brand new broadcasting deal was secured.
None of that seems to be true, nevertheless, even after White publicly declared after UFC 316 in June that Jones had beforehand agreed to the Aspinall combat. And that is why UFC and White deserve simply as a lot of the blame as Jones for teasing followers, holding up enterprise and making a mockery of the championship itself.
For those who’re searching for historic precedent on this case, there’s loads of that, too.
Inaugural UFC ladies’s featherweight champion Germaine de Randamie won’t ever be mistaken for Jones within the historical past books, however her 2017 title reign did finish after simply 4 months when she was stripped for refusing to defend her title in opposition to Cris Cyborg out of fears over performance-enhancing drug allegations. Inaugural ladies’s flyweight champion, Nicco Montano, was additionally unjustly stripped of her title in 2018 instantly after her withdrawal from a title protection on account of being hospitalized following a tough weight reduce.
Jones, identical to when he was enabled by UFC in December 2018 when issues over a failed drug check to their defending mild heavyweight champion led to the choice of UFC 232 being moved from Las Vegas to Los Angeles throughout Christmas week on just some days’ discover, was allowed to stroll out his traditionally hole reign as heavyweight champion on his personal unprecedented phrases and at his personal velocity.
UFC did not simply mess with the persistence and tolerance of its personal fan base whereas stealing a sizeable chunk of Aspinall’s preventing prime and incomes energy, it additionally unnaturally altered its personal heavyweight historical past by so haphazardly stalling the division and the best-laid plans of its prime contenders.
But, for as soiled as his arms are on this state of affairs, White may’ve spun the dangerous information on Saturday into optimistic hope of one other superfight on the horizon had he dropped a egocentric grudge in opposition to Francis Ngannou and entertained the concept of welcoming again the previous heavyweight champion as soon as his PFL contract expires with a view to present Aspinall with the career-defining combat he simply misplaced.
As a substitute, White selected to place his private beef surrounding Ngannou’s determination two years in the past to exit the promotion and search free company (which conveniently opened the door for Jones to return from a three-year retirement) forward of what is finest for TKO’s enterprise or that of a crushed down fanbase that’s lastly waking as much as the concept their satisfaction in fashionable instances has been prioritized far down the record under that of fats authorities contracts from world cities or the necessity to present, on this case ESPN, with weekly content material (come COVID hell or excessive water).
“One factor I’ve discovered through the years about Francis is that Francis would not at all times imply what he says publicly,” White mentioned. “What he says behind the scenes are completely different than what he says publicly. I am not a giant fan. I might be shocked if Francis ever got here again right here, on a lot of completely different ranges. I am not a fan and he would not at all times imply what he says publicly.”
Two years in the past, Aspinall jokingly mentioned in a podcast look with Michael Bisping and Anthony Smith that he would “retire Jon Jones with out even preventing him.” Only a few would have guessed that right here we’d be, including Jones-Ngannou, Jones-Aspinall and Ngannou-Aspinall to the quick record of UFC dream fights which have failed to return to fruition, alongside Randy Couture-Fedor Emelianenko, Brock Lesnar-Emelianenko and Anderson Silva-Georges St. Pierre.
For all the money and time that White and fellow TKO brass have spent over the previous yr stretching their fight sports activities tentacles into different potential monopsony takeover makes an attempt like professional wrestling, boxing, jiu-jitsu and Energy Slap, they’ve allowed the pursuit of making crossover stars and traffic-stopping superfights of their bread and butter of MMA to take a backseat.
TKO continues to behave as if it believes UFC can run itself as of late when the truth is, it is slowly working it into the bottom.