The news of Jon Jones`s surprising retirement from the UFC a few weeks ago continues to resonate.
After a protracted saga concerning the heavyweight division that lasted for several months, UFC President Dana White recently announced Jon Jones`s official retirement from the promotion.
As a consequence, former interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall was elevated to the status of undisputed division champion, having missed out on a potential fight against `Bones`.
Although the announcement of Jones’s retirement, coming shortly after the UFC`s first event in Baku, was somewhat unexpected, the retirement itself seemed almost inevitable given the circumstances surrounding the entire heavyweight situation.
Daniel Cormier Believes the UFC Was Frustrated with Jon Jones
Throughout his career, Jon Jones`s most significant rival was Daniel Cormier, and their clashes produced one of the sport`s most intense rivalries.
Initially, Cormier was critical of Jones`s retirement, describing him as a `quitter` for not facing the British fighter. Despite his initial reaction, Cormier quickly shifted his tone and, surprisingly, paid tribute to his long-time adversary for what was undoubtedly an incredible career.
However, now, several weeks after the 37-year-old`s retirement, Cormier has speculated that the UFC must have been frustrated with Jones, citing the speed at which they removed him from the official roster.
“It’s so crazy too because, they actually took Jon Jones off the roster, that was fast! Normally you let them linger. They must just be frustrated, they must’ve been super frustrated because how often is someone still sitting on the roster after they say, ‘I’m done.`” Cormier stated on the Pound-for-Pound Podcast. “I think there’s some frustration. Well they announced that Jon was retiring in Baku, just at a post fight press conference and it wasn’t even the first thing that came out of Dana’s mouth… There might be some frustration there.”
Dana White Denies Jones’s Claim of Retiring in 2024
Following his official retirement, Jones posted a series of messages on social media, asserting that he had informed the UFC about his retirement back in 2024.
Nevertheless, at the UFC 317 post-fight press conference, Dana White directly refuted Jones`s claim, simply stating, “Not true.”
