Ex-UFC GOAT rips Jon Jones for sudden retirement: 'I don't understand why'

Add former UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious Johnson to the list of critics toward Jones, despite respect from Johnson regarding Jones' abilities inside the Octagon.

Johnson unleashed on Jones, 37, during a recent YouTube video on his channel reacting to Jones' game-changing decision.

Johnson added the promotion did all it could. In his view, though, Jones made the call.

"I think he was totally down to fight Tom Aspinall, and I think Jon Jones asked for $30 million thinking the UFC was not going to give that to him," Johnson said.

"But this is the thing that we will never know and get down to the nitty gritty of: It is that we'll never hear from Jones' mouth on why he didn't want to take the Tom fight."

One of the biggest "what-if" moments in UFC history could create a bad look for years to come, Johnson believes. It's less about Jones not fighting Aspinall and more about how the saga unfolded.

"Jones, I don't understand why he didn't fight him, and if Jones was like, 'Dude, I was not going to fight Tom Aspinall, he's young, he's athletic, he's dangerous, I don't want to risk my legacy.' Perfect.'"

Jon Jones Made Best Decision For Himself, Per "Mighty Mouse"

Johnson says Jones shouldn't be blamed for going out on his own terms, however.

"He doesn't have to fight Tom Aspinall," Johnson said. "Even the fact that he said he was going to do it and had a change of heart, that's fine. People have a change of heart. People get cold feet. There's nothing wrong with that."

Jones' retirement gives Aspinall the opportunity to dominate the heavyweight division. Whether the Englishman does remains to be seen, however.