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! pic.twitter.com/2yZpJ7Ghtg
— 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.
