Following Jon Jones’ recent announcement of retirement from the UFC, reactions have been swift and varied. While many in the mixed martial arts community paid tribute to one of the sport’s all-time greats, others speculated that Jones retired to avoid facing surging heavyweight contender Tom Aspinall, who has now been elevated to the undisputed champion.
Undefeated UFC superstar Ilia Topuria, who is preparing for his own lightweight title fight, has weighed in on the controversy, strongly defending Jones against accusations of “ducking” Aspinall.
Jones’ Retirement and the Heavyweight Shake-Up
Jon Jones, 37, ends his storied career with an impressive record, including an undefeated streak in title fights. His retirement came as a surprise to many, particularly as it resulted in interim titleholder Tom Aspinall being promoted to undisputed heavyweight kingpin.
Jones’ brief heavyweight reign began with a dominant win over Ciryl Gane in March 2023. His only defense was against Stipe Miocic in November 2024. While Jones secured the victory, the choice of opponent—a 42-year-old Miocic who hadn’t won a fight since 2020—drew some criticism, especially as Aspinall was rapidly clearing out other top contenders with an 8-1 UFC record (his sole loss being an early injury against Curtis Blaydes, whom he later avenged in just 60 seconds).
For nearly two years, Aspinall had actively sought a unification bout with Jones, publicly stating his desire and even accusing Jones of avoidance amidst the champion’s prolonged inactivity.
Adding fuel to the fire, Jones himself cast doubt on his future with a cryptic “I’m done” remark shared online and a defiant social media post suggesting he didn’t care about potentially being stripped of his title. This created a significant logjam in the division, frustrating fans and fighters alike.
Dana White’s Perspective: Fight Was Planned
UFC CEO Dana White shed further light on the situation, revealing that a fight between Jones and Aspinall was essentially “done” and targeted to headline a major event at Madison Square Garden. However, White stated that Jones abruptly changed his mind just days before the official announcement, calling the UFC to express his absolute certainty about retiring.
While White acknowledged Jones’ age might be a factor and mentioned new misdemeanor legal charges Jones faced (though unclear if directly linked to the retirement timing), White was adamant that he does not believe Jon Jones retired to avoid Tom Aspinall. White reiterated his long-held stance that Jones has never “ducked” an opponent throughout his career.
Ilia Topuria Refutes “Ducking” Claims
Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Ilia Topuria was asked if he saw parallels between Jones’ retirement before fighting Aspinall and a past instance where Topuria himself accused lightweight champion Islam Makhachev of “ducking” him when Makhachev pursued a fight in a different division.
Topuria firmly dismissed any comparison. “Not at all. You can’t even compare that situation,” Topuria stated. “You can’t compare Jon Jones with Islam.”
Topuria argued that Jones’ extensive and successful career fighting top competition for over a decade proves he is not afraid of any single opponent. “Jon has done so many great things in the sport. He fought the best of the best in the last ten years. So, I don’t think he’s ducking anyone,” Topuria explained.
Instead, Topuria believes Jones is simply ready to end his career. “He just wants to retire. He’s tired, maybe, of the game or whatever, and he wants to retire,” he said. Topuria added that even if Jones had beaten Aspinall, a new contender would inevitably emerge, making the idea of “ducking” one specific fighter less plausible for someone with Jones’ history.
The Question of Legacy
Despite Topuria and White’s defense, some observers believe Jones’ decision not to fight Aspinall could impact his standing as arguably the greatest fighter of all time. MMA producer Eric Jackman suggested that “Tom Aspinall has Jon Jones’ legacy in his hands.”
According to this perspective, if Aspinall goes on to have a dominant reign as undisputed heavyweight champion, Jones’ refusal to fight him could become a significant talking point and a potential “stain” on his legacy. Conversely, Jackman noted that if Aspinall were to lose quickly, the narrative could shift, with some potentially arguing Aspinall wasn’t truly ready and Jones likely would have won, thus shielding Jones’ legacy from criticism.
With Jon Jones now retired and Tom Aspinall promising to be an “active undisputed champion,” the future of the heavyweight division is clear, but the debate over the circumstances surrounding Jones’ exit, particularly regarding the potential Aspinall matchup, is likely to continue.
