After months of uncertainty, the long-stalled saga in the UFC heavyweight division has finally come to a close. The promotion has officially scrapped the highly anticipated title unification bout between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall, arguably the most overdue matchup in recent memory. Addressing the media at the Baku, Dana White delivered the bombshell that shook the MMA world, “Jon Jones called us last night and retired.”

White also said that Tom Aspinall is now the undisputed heavyweight champion of the promotion. The news made people feel both relieved and angry. In response, many fans and commentators questioned the timing, saying that the news should have come much sooner, ideally after UFC 309 last year. Instead, there was more than seven months of silence until the UFC finally made it public. This left a lot of people in the MMA industry shocked.

The confusion only deepened in recent weeks as Dana White continued to insist the fight was still on track, telling fans to “just relax” and claiming the bout was “100%” in the works. But behind the scenes, it was Jon Jones’ erratic approach to the Aspinall matchup that caused frustration. At times, he showed interest in the condition of a massive payday. When the UFC met his demands, ‘Bones’ changed course once again. Veteran journalist Ariel Helwani recently exposed that behind-the-scenes turmoil. A screenshot posted on the r/MMA subreddit captured Helwani tweeting,

“Jon Jones asked for a lot of money… after much negotiation, the UFC got him that money, and Jon Jones said he was in. Then a couple days later, he said he was out. Ever since then, the UFC has been trying to convince him to come back, and he said no.”

Rather than progressing with negotiations or finalizing a fight against the Brit over the past few months, Jon Jones seemed more focused on maintaining his champion aura outside the Octagon. He participated in ALF, which is the Russian version of TUF as coach. In addition, he made appearances in Thailand, hosting seminars and training camps, giving fans an opportunity to meet and train with the UFC’s heavyweight kingpin in person.

However, with his sudden retirement, despite receiving the payday he demanded, many fans have begun to question his GOAT status, calling out what they see as hypocrisy.

Fans question Jon Jones’ GOAT status despite UFC meeting payday demands

Last year, in the lead-up to a potential showdown with Stipe Miočić at UFC 309, Jon Jones made headlines by stating he would need “f you money” to take the fight. Reports suggested ‘Bones’  was seeking around $30-50 million. However, longtime UFC commentator Joe Rogan debunked those figures. Throughout the standoff, the heavyweight champ repeatedly pointed fingers at White and the UFC, claiming they weren’t meeting his demands.

However, Ariel Helwani’s recent revelations cast a different light on the situation, raising questions about whether Jon Jones was simply unwilling to face Tom Aspinall. In a Reddit thread, one fan summed up that sentiment with a pointed comment, “That’s crazy. He was that scared of Tom to turn down like 20–30 mil?” Another fan echoed that frustration, accusing ‘Bones’ of trying to manipulate the narrative, “Jon wanted to call the UFC’s bluff to say ‘They wouldn’t pay me.’ He wanted to control the narrative. He’s a narcissist, good riddance.”

No doubt, Jon Jones has made a name for himself in MMA. During his 16-year career, he beat over two dozen opponents, each of whom was a top fighter from a different generation. With 12 consecutive title defenses, including the heavyweight crown, “Bones” has firmly established himself as one of the best fighters ever. But even with all those awards, many supporters are hesitant to proclaim him the GOAT since they think he ducked the Brit in what they see as a career-defining moment.

As one fan bluntly put it, “Cemented coward status going forward lmao. Silva, Mighty Mouse, Khabib all have better arguments for GOAT after this guy kept ducking. This is going to go down as the most blatant duck in UFC history.” Since last year, he had been campaigning for a ‘champ vs champ’ super-fight against Alex Pereira. But with Tom Aspinall holding the interim title, ‘Bones’ couldn’t move forward without addressing that matchup.

Ultimately, he appeared reluctant to risk his legacy against a younger, more dangerous opponent. As one fan noted: “Jones wants to fight, he just doesn’t want to fight Aspinall.” Now officially retired, Jon Jones leaves behind a legendary résumé. Still, many believe his refusal to face Tom Aspinall has left a permanent stain on his legacy, especially given that Aspinall has held the interim belt for over 500 days and already defended it.

One fan summed it up with a cutting remark, “This is going to go down as the most blatant duck in UFC history.” And it’s not the first time Jon Jones has faced such criticism. In 2023, he postponed his heavyweight debut while Francis Ngannou reigned as champion, only returning once Ngannou exited the UFC and the title was vacated. As another fan recalled, “Ducked Francis and then Tom, such a shame.”

With Jon Jones now officially retired, it marks the end of an era for UFC fans. What’s your take on his retirement? Drop your opinion below.