Jon Jones Could ‘Vacate’ UFC Title

November 30, 2024

2 weeks

Jon Jones has suggested that he could vacate his UFC Heavyweight Title before retiring from the sport.

Jones is coming off a third round stoppage win against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. That was the first successful defense of his UFC Heavyweight Title after having submitted Cyril Gane at UFC 285 last year in the first round. His Miocic fight was delayed for a considerable period of time after Bones initially pulled out of their UFC 295 clash last November.

He had suffered a pectoral muscle injury in sparring, which ultimately held the heavyweight division up. Tom Aspinall demanded that the UFC strip Jones so he could fight Miocic for the title. That never happened as Aspinall struggled to get the heavyweight title fight. But before Jones took on Miocic, Dana White confirmed that Aspinall would face the winner.

Jones Vs. Aspinall

Tom has just secured a stoppage victory against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 in his last fight. In his post-fight comments after beating Stipe, Jones suggested that he could face anybody in the Octagon provided he received a substantial offer. However, before those comments, he had also suggested that he does not need Aspinall for his legacy. Jones is currently in talks with the UFC over fighting next year. That has raised suggestions that fans could finally see him take on Aspinall.

The perception has been that Jones is ducking the Brit in favor of other fights. Bones has called for a bout against Alex Pereira, who is the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Jones suggests that is a much bigger fight globally and does more for his legacy. Jones has also suggested a potential fight against the former light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill. He has now hit back at fans who have continued to call him out for not making a fight with Aspinall.

Jones Reacts

Jones could even go to the point where he just gives up his title, which would rule out Aspinall altogether. While Aspinall would get his title shot for the vacant belt, it would not be the fight that fans would have wanted. They saw this when Francis Ngannou never got the Jon Jones fight. The Predator left the UFC last year to join the PFL; Ngannou subsequently stopped Renan Ferreira on his PFL debut to become the best heavyweight in the organization. However, given that Dana White has ruled out any co-promotional deals with the PFL, the Jones fight is something that fans will never see. And there is a possibility that also happens with Jones against Aspinall.

“Sure, call me duck for the next year, eventually Tom will lose within the next two or three fights and my legacy will go on as the greatest MMA fight ever. End of story,” Jones

“I’d probably vacate the belt before officially retiring. Let’s see how my meeting with Ufc goes,” Jones

“Crazy how being called a ‘duck’ pays better than most of you Internet tough guys will make in a lifetime. Two fights in four years and still one of the biggest names in the sport? That’s not ducking, that’s winning. God’s blessings hit different, stay mad,” Jones

“Trust me, I get it, they’re just running a few years behind. Peer pressure and playground insults don’t hit quite the same at 37,” Jones