Media Jon Jones: "I'm done"

[CatchtheseHands]

Franci$ left a giant hole in UFC's HW division, and Desperate Dana bent over backwards to get a mostly-retired Jon Jones back as the new flag-bearer. Now that the semi-retired guy wants to fully retire, Dana and UFC have no backup plans and haven't yet been able to hotshot anything like they usually do.

Dana's own fault for fucking up what he had with Francis.

 

[Alpha_T83]

UFC is done with Jones, I wouldn't be surprised if they take his title away, and knowing Jones he wants to be the first to announce that he is done but the UFC is done with him

If they're done with him I don't get why they're letting him keep the belt and giving him TUF Russia money. It doesn't make any sense.

Dana seems to be trying anything he can do to appease Jon Jones. If Jon is done, why bother?

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

Dana's own fault for fucking up what he had with Francis.

I don't blame him for not giving in to Franci$' bad-faith negotiations.

 

[Alpha_T83]

Yea you could tell Jon was super uncomfortable and definitely avoided the confrontation. Not what I'd expect from someone that's confident in winning that fight.

 

[goOb]

Took years to beef up to Heavyweight, only to fight 2 people.

 

[Bradillac]

Can we just move on from this loser please. It's crazy how much he has tarnished his own legacy over the years, maybe more than anyone else in the sport.

 

[snugglecakes]

if jon is in fact never fighting again, what was the point of this title hoarding if the fight was never gonna happen? Tom could have gotten off multiple fights in this time frame and then the wait was all for nothing? Was it to get that longest HW reign BS?

If jon is done they should declare his title reign ended the day he beat stipe and just forgot to announce it and that Tom's belt was the undisputed 1 not interim and forgot to announce that too.

 

[MMAProfessional]

For those of us who actually want to see this fight, this sucks.

Regrettably I have no faith in the UFC or it's dickhead figurehead to actually hear what the duck seems to be saying loud and clear, and take the farcical belt off him either.

Seems Jones has now said twice in as many days that he WILL NOT FIGHT. Yet I think Dana will continue bullshitting and pretending he will.

Fuck.
Ing.
Joke.

Knowing Jones he's probably been dickin them around. "Well, maybe I'll fight again. I want 30 mill." Okay here's 30 mill. "Let me get back to you on that." The UFC really just needs to say f it and strip him. Jones didn't look all that good against Stipe considering what Stipe had left in the tank. That and the things Jones has said makes me believe he wants nothing to do with Aspinal considering how dangerous he is. Better to call it quits and leave "undefeated." Did the same thing when Ngannou was champ. Acted interested then mysteriously disappears and comes back as soon as Ngannou leaves the UFC then starts talking smack again. Probably retires and sits on twitter waiting for an Aspinall loss so he can say, "This is the guy you wanted me to fight claiming it's the biggest HW fight of all time."

 

[PaddyO'malley]

good fi him enjoy di retirement fam

 

[Alpha_T83]

I don't blame him for not giving in to Franci$' bad-faith negotiations.

Bad faith? Francis didn't negotiate in bad faith, Dana did. Dana tried to prevent Francis from boxing while under UFC contract, forever. That's ILLEGAL under the Ali Act.

Why do you think Dana let Francis go when he was a UFC champion that won his last UFC championship fight? The UFC "Champion's Clause" would have extended his contract by 1 fight. However, it would have been literally illegal for Dana to try and prevent him from boxing.

Dana threw a temper tantrum that Francis threatened to invoke the Ali Act, and Dana knew he couldn't win. In fact, if Dana had tried to fight it in court, the judge could have extended the Ali Act to MMA.

 

[Marko Polo]

The plot thickens.

‘I told the UFC my plans a long time ago’: Jon Jones provides cryptic update on UFC return​

https://www.mmafighting.com/2025/5/...n-jones-provides-cryptic-update-on-ufc-return

“I’m not playing ball with the company because I no longer fear the repercussions being so close to retirement”

 

[markg171]

And he hero worships Jones like a weirdo and seethes over Khabib like a bitter loon.

Not disappointed.

I'm literally responding to people who brought them up first.

You guys are the bitter loons here

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

Bad faith? Francis didn't negotiate in bad faith, Dana did.

Franci$ asked for health insurance, "fighter advocates," and financial advisors for every fighter under contract. Something tells me he didn't ask PFL for the same...!

 

[HI SCOTT NEWMAN]

As a fan of MMA and wanting to see big time HW fights this absoutley sucks and I'm so disappointed. Everything about UFC 2025 so far has been so disappointing

 

[Alpha_T83]

Franci$ asked for health insurance, "fighter advocates," and financial advisors for every fighter under contract. Something tells me he didn't ask PFL for the same...!

That's not bad faith.

The UFC wanted to lock Francis into an exclusive long-term contract and for Francis to guarantee them a piece of the boxing money (presumably the same model McGregor agreed to).

His contract with PFL was probably much less exclusive and more "take it one fight at a time" type contract, with ways for Francis to opt out if he wanted to.

 

[fizzlehiss]

If only Gane wasnt a smug kickboxer without TDD.

 

[Mongoosemk12]

Got no problem with him retiring, but holding the belt hostage is clown behavior

So... Par for the course?

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

That's not bad faith.

Asking for things that the other party will never do and then using that as a way out isn't bad faith?

 

[MrBlackheart]

Jon Jones became UFC champion 3 months before I even had my high school prom.

He can do whatever he wants with his career by this point.

Must be

Yea you could tell Jon was super uncomfortable and definitely avoided the confrontation. Not what I'd expect from someone that's confident in winning that fight.

the common thing I hear from mma community(coaches and fighters) is that if Jon Jones thinks he can win, he will fight you. I guess they’re correct with Jon’s recent behavior.

 

[Lionheart7167]

Jones made his mind up about Tom long before he faced Stipe.
He knew he was done.
But he's smart.
If he can keep his name in the headlines it means more money, opportunities, etc.
He has no intention to fight Tom. He never did.
I think this is just the beginning to be honest. I think he'll toy with the media every so often for the next year or two, until the UFC finally has had enough. They strip him and he retires, OR he just retires.
That's it.