Tom Aspinall Retires Jon Jones, Without Even Fighting Him
In a stunning announcement at the UFC Baku post-fight press conference, Dana White confirmed what many fans had started to suspect: Jon Jones is officially retired.
That’s it. No fight with Tom Aspinall. No heavyweight unification. No closure.
“Jon Jones called us last night and retired. Jon Jones is officially retired. Tom Aspinall is the heavyweight champion of the UFC.” – Dana White
For two years, the UFC heavyweight division waited for Jon Jones. And for two years, Tom Aspinall's prime was held hostage, with fans, analysts, and fighters all wondering when—or if—Jones would show up and defend the belt.
Now it’s official. He won’t.
Tom Aspinall: The Champion Who Didn’t Need Jones
Let’s get something straight—Tom Aspinall didn’t need Jon Jones to validate him. He earned his spot the hard way. He finished Sergei Pavlovich in 69 seconds to win the interim title, then defended it in dominant fashion. He stayed active, stayed ready, and stayed classy—even while being left in the dark.
He wanted the fight. He waited for it. And now he moves on.
“We either fight, or I move on.” – Aspinall, just weeks before the announcement.
Now he’s the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion—without having to touch Jon Jones.
Did Jon Duck Aspinall?
Let’s be honest: the fans are going to talk. And a lot of them are already saying the same thing—Jon Jones avoided Tom Aspinall.
Jones was supposed to fight Stipe Miocic. Then the injury happened. After that, the expectation was simple: unify the belt or step aside. But for over a year, Jones said nothing, did nothing, and let the division stagnate.
Now that he’s retired, there’s no denying it—the biggest fight at heavyweight never happened.
Did he duck Tom Aspinall? Only Jones knows for sure. But the optics aren’t great.
What This Means for Jones’ Legacy
Jones is still one of the greatest to ever do it. Period. But there’s always going to be an asterisk now. He walked away with the belt, undefeated at heavyweight, but also unproven against the most dangerous contender of the last five years.
Tom Aspinall is fast, technical, powerful, and young. That was the real test. That was the legacy fight.
Jones leaving without it leaves a hole in the narrative.
A New Era Begins
Now it’s Aspinall’s time. The belt is his. The throne is his. And for the first time in years, the heavyweight division finally has clarity again.
No more delays. No more waiting. No more interim.
Just a champion who fights, defends, and wants to prove he’s the best—not just talk about it.
Dana White has already said the UFC is working on his next title defense. Expect names like Ciryl Gane, Curtis Blaydes, or even Jailton Almeida to be thrown in the mix.
