Jon Jones has indicated that his fighting career is over, saying he has hung up his gloves and stepped away from competition.
Jones, a former two-division UFC champion, last fought at UFC 309 in November 2024, where he defended the UFC heavyweight title with a win over Stipe Miocic. He has now made clear he no longer sees himself as an active fighter.
"My gloves are hung up. I’m chilling these days," Jones said. "You’ve got business Jon Jones, no more fighter Jon Jones. The businessman, you know what I’m saying?"
Jones briefly retired in 2025 but returned for a chance to be part of a UFC White House event. UFC president Dana White rejected his participation in that event, citing past unreliability.
Jones had also pushed for a heavyweight title bout against Alex Pereira on the June 14 card and asked the UFC to release him after White said there were no substantial negotiations. Outside offers have not swayed him either, as he turned down Yoel Romero’s suggestion to take a bare-knuckle fight.
"I don’t think I can do it," Jones said. "I don’t want to get punched. I don’t want to get punched."
Romero countered, "More brutal is the knee in the face and the elbow in the face," adding, "A hundred percent. This, no. This [points to his elbow] is danger."
Jones has competed only three times since 2019, with his win over Miocic marking just his second appearance at heavyweight after a long light heavyweight run that included two championship reigns and 11 successful title defenses.
