Jon Jones Retires; Aspinall Named Heavyweight Champion

Jon Jones, regarded as one of MMA's greatest, has officially retired from the UFC at age 37, as announced by UFC CEO Dana White after UFC Baku. Jones departs with a 28-1 record, his sole loss a controversial disqualification, and the distinction of being the youngest UFC champion and a two-division titleholder. His retirement ends speculation about a heavyweight title unification fight with interim champion Tom Aspinall, a bout Jones had downplayed. With Jones stepping away, Aspinall (8-1 in UFC heavyweights) is now recognized as the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion and has expressed excitement for future matchups. Potential challengers for Aspinall include Ciryl Gane, Jailton Almeida, and Alex Pereira. The UFC plans to meet Aspinall during International Fight Week in Las Vegas to determine his next opponent and the future of the division.