"The longest fraud reign" - Fans erupt as Jon Jones becomes longest-reigning heavyweight champion despite only one title defense
Jon Jones recently made history as the longest reigning UFC heavyweight champion, but fans aren’t exactly throwing a parade.
Over 785 days since submitting Ciryl Gane for the vacant UFC heavyweight title, Jones has defended the title just once. He secured a third-round TKO win over Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 to defend his heavyweight title in a legacy bout.
Jones has surpassed Miocic’s legendary first title run, which lasted from May 2016 to January 2018. Yet, instead of celebration, the MMA world exploded in frustration.
Check out the X post below:
Critics point out that while Jones defended his title once in over two years, fighters like Tom Aspinall have risen and demanded their shot. Several fans took to X and wrote:
"The longest fraud reign."
"Making stalling and ducking sound like an achievement?"
"With 1 defense, this sh*t should be illegal."
"No one cares about days, all that matters is number of times he defended."
"Can break any record if you never fight."
"785 days for 1 defense is actually hilarious."
"By defending ONCE against a senior citizen."
"Thats cool and all but doesnt mean anything to the fans."
Check out some of the fan reactions below:
![Fans react to Jon Jones breaking the record for heavyweight title reign. [Screenshots courtesy: @Home_of_Fight on X]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/04/62d8b-17457176910271-1920.jpg?w=500)
Meanwhile, negotiations for a potential Jones vs. Aspinall clash have been rocky, with reports suggesting Jones is allegedly seeking a $30 million payday to make the fight happen. UFC CEO Dana White insists that the promotion has done everything to seal the deal, but insiders agree that the ball has always been in Jones’ court.
Meanwhile, the interim UFC heavyweight champion Aspinall waits in the wings, with several fans hoping for a fresh new era. The UK MMA star recently claimed that he has started training, and UFC fighter-turned-analyst Chael Sonnen speculated that the fight might be coming to fruition.