Is Jon Jones retiring after UFC 309? Tom Aspinall's silent reaction to 'Bones' confirming status
Jon Jones fulfilled decade-long fan expectations when he defeated Stipe Miocic, the most accomplished heavyweight, at UFC 309 on Nov. 16. It marked the first successful defense of Jones' heavyweight title reign and there have been talks of him potentially retiring after the Miocic fight.
Jones clarified his stance during the UFC 309 octagon interview, which invoked an interesting reaction from interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall.
Is Jon Jones retiring after UFC 309?
In his UFC 309 octagon interview, Jon Jones confirmed that he is not retiring from MMA competition and needs to negotiate with UFC brass, promising a fight announcement soon. He said:
"As far as my future in the octagon, I decided that maybe I'll not retire. I have some conversations to have with [Dana White] and [Hunter Campbell]. We have some negotiating to do. And if everything goes right, maybe you guys will get what you want to see."
While it's clear that Jones will return to competition, he has not decided on his next opponent. He added:
"I know that we have options. I'm just going to see what Uncle Dana wants and what Uncle Hunter wants... You guys will hear about it soon, I'm sure."
Check out Jon Jones' comments below (1:48):
Interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has campaigned for a title unification bout against Jones since capturing the title in November 2023. MMA journalist Nina-Marie Daniele took to X and posted the video of Aspinall's silent reaction to Jones' statement.
Check out the video below:
Aspinall, 31, is one of the youngest UFC heavyweight fighters. Many felt that he deserved a shot at Jones, especially after winning the interim title. However, Jones has cited the Brit's relatively short list of accomplishments as the reason for denying the title unification bout.
The 37-year-old has said that fighting more accomplished veteran fighters like Alex Pereira will be the right move to further his legacy in the sport. Meanwhile, UFC CEO Dana White recently said that Aspinall is Jones' logical next opponent.