Already under fire from MMA fans worldwide for allegedly ducking Tom Aspinall, UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones now finds himself at the center of a growing online petition demanding he be stripped of his title. Speaking at a seminar in Thailand, ‘Bones’ addressed the criticism directly, offering a carefully worded response, “Tom and I have agreed to wait for the UFC to make their announcements. So, I legally can’t really talk about it,” Jones said when asked by fans about a potential unification bout with UFC interim heavyweight champion.

The heavyweight kingpin’s vague response left fans in the dark. Is the fight happening? Will the UFC follow through on its promise to book the long-awaited clash? Or is there something more going on behind the scenes—possibly related to contract negotiations or other undisclosed issues? Aspinall, however, wasted no time firing back. During a conversation with UFC legends Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen on Good Guy / Bad Guy, he dismissed Jones’ comments and questioned whether the champion even intends to return.

“Nah, man, Jon is retired. What are you talking about, you guys? You guys don’t follow Jon on social media,” Aspinall said.

Reflecting on Jon Jones’ recent trip to Thailand—where he was filming for the ALF reality show and hosting seminars—Aspinall offered his candid take on the situation, “The guy—the guy is living his belt life. He had a fantastic career. We all know, we know he is a religious man, so I want to say God bless him moving forward in what he does with his life and career.”

Aspinall’s remark came in response to a recent interaction on X (formerly Twitter), where a fan took a jab at Jon Jones, telling him to “enjoy his time being champion before being stripped.” The American didn’t hold back, firing back with a sharp reply, “Y’all barkin’ up the wrong tree,” ‘Bones’ said. “I told the UFC my plans a long time ago. I have no clue why they haven’t shared them with you guys yet.”

The back-and-forth only intensified fan speculation: Is Jon Jones truly retired, or is there more to the story than meets the eye?

Jon Jones gives his honest take on fighting Tom Aspinall

Jon Jones’s current status remains uncertain, but one thing is clear—he isn’t ready to step away from fighting. A seasoned veteran with nearly 16 years in the sport, ‘Bones’ has been competing in MMA since he was 20. Now 37, he has become a controversial figure among fans, partly because of an online petition calling for the UFC to strip him of his title. The petition has gained over 180,000 signatures, with many fans believing Jones no longer intends to fight.

Last week, the heavyweight kingpin addressed his retirement plans with honesty, admitting he’s unsure what the future holds. In an interview with Vic Blends, when asked if he would fight again in the UFC, Jon Jones said, “I do feel like I’ll be a lifelong martial artist whether I’m coaching others or taking exhibition matches and things like that. There’s a lot of great competition still in the UFC. I do view myself as more than a fighter and being in my position, I feel like I have a lot more options than a lot of the other fighters as far as the ability to leave and return and things like that.”

What’s your take on the ongoing turmoil in the UFC heavyweight division? Who do you believe is most responsible for frustrating the fans — Jon Jones or UFC president Dana White? Share your thoughts below.