Becoming a UFC champion is incredibly tough, and only a few elite fighters have managed to reclaim their titles multiple times. Jon Jones and Alexander Volkanovski are standout examples, having ruled the light heavyweight and featherweight divisions with unmatched skill and dominance. However, Jones’ heavyweight reign remains inconsistent due to inactivity, injuries, and unclear future plans inside the octagon.
Since becoming the heavyweight champion, Jones has defended it once, and has consistently denied the title unification bout to Tom Aspinall. The interim champion has grown frustrated after waiting over a year, feeling he’s losing prime years due to constant delays. Recently, Volkanovski in a recent interview with OverDogPodcast, subtly questioned Jones’ legacy as a heavyweight.
If you’re the champ, you defend your belt. It’s a responsibility. You need to be reasonably active. If you’ve got an interim champ, that’s a no-brainer. Don’t hold up the division. I know your resume is incredible, you’re considered the GOAT. So if you don’t want to fight, just retire.
Alexander Volkanovski via OverDogs podcast
Volkanovski had one of the most active title reigns in modern UFC history with five title defenses against top contenders. From 2020 to 2023, he defended the 145-pound title against the likes of Max Holloway (x2), The Korean Zombie, Brian Ortega and Yair Rodriguez.
Now, at the age of 36, he has regained that glory by defeating young and hungry Diego Lopes. The fighter now wants to be as active as possible and is eager to take on the likes of Yair Rodriguez and Movsar Evloev.
Alexander Volkanovski urges Jon Jones to show the responsibility of a true champion
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) June 14, 2025
"If you're the champ, you defend your belt — it's a responsibility. You need to be reasonably active. If you've got an interim champ, that's a no-brainer. Don't hold up the division. I know… pic.twitter.com/VofyXtBtWr
Meanwhile, Jones has stalled the heavyweight division, drawing criticism from contenders and fans demanding he be stripped of the title. An online petition highlights public frustration over delays and a lack of clarity regarding future title defenses in the division. Despite the backlash, Jones remains unaffected, having navigated multiple controversies throughout his career.
Multiple reports say Jon Jones demanded a massive fight purse, which the UFC accepted due to his proven pay-per-view drawing power. Surprisingly, Jones then backtracked on plans and hinted at retirement, without even defending his title against Tom Aspinall. When asked, Dana White expressed helplessness, admitting there’s little he can do if Jones chooses to walk away suddenly.
Despite uncertainty, Jones stays active on social media, frequently replying to critics and firing back at negative fan comments. He’s also mocked analysts for using his name to build narratives, claiming they’re exploiting his legacy for personal gain. In response, Daniel Cormier delivered a fiery rebuttal, reigniting their old rivalry with sharp words and pointed criticism.
You’re talking about me, Francis, Chael, and almost ignoring the right thing… If I was still fighting today, and I was still the heavyweight champion and Tom Aspinall was the #1 contender, I would’ve already fought him. 1000%.
Daniel Cormier via his YT Channel
Cormier fought Jones twice and lost both times, but he was already 37 and past his physical prime. Back then, Jones was the younger fighter who demanded respect by taking on every top contender available in his division. Now, Jones is the aging champion, avoiding younger challengers, which many fans believe contradicts the standard he once set.
Daniel Cormier goes off on Jon Jones
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) June 11, 2025
“You’re talking about me, Francis, Chael, and almost ignoring the right thing… If I was still fighting today, and I was still the heavyweight champion and Tom Aspinall was the #1 contender, I would’ve already fought him. 1000%.”
… pic.twitter.com/iKa2LqUWwV
Aspinall declared himself the real champion, claiming Jones has already retired and is avoiding a true title defense. He doesn’t want to repeat Michael Chandler’s mistake, wasting prime years waiting for the Conor McGregor fight. The UFC also seems to support Aspinall, seeing the British star as the future while Jones contemplates retirement seriously.
Jones has also talked about potentially fighting the former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in a super heavyweight battle. However, Dana White has already rejected the idea of Ngannou coming back to the promotion.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
The Golden State Warriors have had an underwhelming offseason thus far and the main headline surrounding the franchise remains the future of young forward Jonathan Kuminga. Kuminga remains a restricted free agent and after falling out of Steve Kerr’s rotation last season, his role entering next season is up in the air. Due to this, many believe that Kuminga’s time in Golden State is set to come to an end this offseason but the young forward is still deciding on what his next move will be, which will also be reliant on the Warriors due to them likely having to move him in a sign-and-trade deal. With Kuminga’s time in Golden State likely nearing an end, Sports Illustrated’s Jackson Caudell and Rohan Raman recently came up with a three-team mock trade that would send Kuminga to the Phoenix Suns. In the trade, the Suns would receive Kuminga and Moses from the Warriors and they would send Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neal and an unprotected 2032 first-round pick to Golden State. The Atlanta Hawks are the third team in this mock trade and they would acquire Nick Richards from Phoenix. This would be an interesting move for the Warriors as they would not only be moving on from a young player in Kuminga, but Moses Moody as well. Despite this, adding a sharpshooting guard in Grayson Allen, who also excels on the defensive end, could be a massive boost that the Warriors need. O’Neal would also give the Warriors a solid scorer and defender at the forward position that would allow them to upgrade their bench. By making this move, the Warriors would get older as they would swap two young players for two veterans but the additions of Allen and O’Neal, along with potential free agent signings, could help them compete for a title next season with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler leading the way.
Dallas Cowboys' training camp practice No. 2 is in the books so let's cut to the chase on this one and get right into the biggest moments. From head coach Brian Schottenheimer cutting a fight short and threatening to kick out players to a tough injury scare, there's a lot to get to. A lot of Kenneth Murray with the starting lineup In many of the clips coming from Oxnard, California, free agent signing Kenneth Murray keeps popping up with the first-team defense. He certainly looks like a potential starter at linebacker, where Jack Sanborn and Marist Liufau are also competing for starting roles. Though Sanborn has been talked about as the middle linebacker, Brian Schottenheimer said Murray has also worn the green dot denoting a player with comms with the coaching staff. "What I’m finding, now that I’m getting to know (Murray. . .) is the leadership he possesses," Schottenheimer said Wednesday. "He’s a grown-ass man out there. He takes charge. He makes a lot of the checks, he’s very smart, and he’s wearing the green dot for us in a lot of the things we’re doing." Brian Schottenheimer threatens to kick out players from practice Safety Markquese Bell, cornerback Troy Pride, and tight end Tyler Neville got into a scrap early during team periods, and the Cowboys head coach took the opportunity to send a message to his players. According to ESPN's Todd Archer, "Brian Schottenheimer called the team together and read them the riot act, threatening to kick player out of practice with the next fight." In the clip below from Nick Harris (Forth Worth Star-Telegram), Schottenheimer is heard saying: "I don't know what happened, I don't give a (expletive)." George Pickens' injury scare George Pickens went down as he attempted to catch a target during practice. Reports from Oxnard indicated it was a cramp. Fortunately, Pickens appeared fine after practice as he finished the day on the catching machines and jogged off the field. Joe Milton's 'touch pass' to Brevyn Spann-Ford Everyone knows about Joe Milton's bazooka arm but what to stay around the NFL for a long while, he'll have to show better accuracy and touch than what he showed with the Tennessee Vols. Though he needs to do it many more times, one play turned heads at camp: A play-action shot to TE Brevyn Spann-Ford that flew over linebacker Buddy Johnson. Later in practice, Milton fired a deep shot that missed WR Jonathan Mingo. The arm talent is there—and it's one of the best in the league—he just needs the touch to come consistently.
There is no ramp-up period for the Chicago Bears at training camp this year. Head coach Ben Johnson brought the same intensity he harbored during OTAs at the Bears’ first practice of training camp Wednesday at Halas Hall in Lake Forest, Illinois. Adam Hoge of CHGO Bears said that Johnson was upset with Williams and the offense multiple times on Wednesday. He got into the face of the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft during a seven-on-seven drill. “Accountability is what I’m talking about, though, because, look, it was like a three-strike thing, let’s call three strikes, and you’re out all right,” Hoge said on the CHGO podcast. “Because we saw Ben get in Caleb’s, you know what, during seven-on-sevens about something. I don’t know what it was about, but he wasn’t happy, and he was screaming at him, alright.” Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson tried to show patience Johnson tried to show patience with the second mistake, when there was a miscommunication with the wide receivers getting lined up. He let Williams and the receivers sort the issue out before the play. But Johnson didn’t stand idly on the third pre-snap mistake; another miscommunication between Williams and the receivers. Johnson pulled the entire first-team off the field in favor of the second-team led by veteran quarterback Case Keenum. Caleb Williams is picking up where he left off in OTAs Per multiple reports, the Bears’ offense had a poor day. Mark Carman called Williams’ performance on Wednesday the worst part of practice. “Today was just bad,” Carman said. “They had to pull the offense off the field. (Williams) wasn’t getting them lined up. It might not have been his fault every single time he’s his first pass was picked off (by linebacker Tremaine Edmunds). “He rolled right on long play, Cold Kmet’s wide open right in front of him. He ended up running out of bounds. It just wasn’t a good day for the quarterback.” Williams didn’t have a great spring. He struggled with every duty from calling the play in the huddle to getting the cadence right to throwing the ball into the middle of the field or further than 10 yards. As of Day 1 at camp, all of those things are still problems. But at least the $13 million per year head coach is mad.
The Chicago Blackhawks, a crowded goaltending situation and trade rumors involving the Edmonton Oilers have fans wondering if the Stars' rivals could soon upgrade their crease before training camp. With training camp approaching, Chicago general manager Kyle Davidson has five goalies under contract, including Spencer Knight, Arvid Soderblom, Drew Commesso, newly signed Stanislav Berezhnoy, and veteran Laurent Brossoit. Only two NHL roster spots are available, which has fueled speculation that Brossoit could be moved to a contender, with Edmonton emerging as a leading candidate. For Stars fans, seeing the Oilers potentially bolster their crease should raise eyebrows. Edmonton, fresh off a deep playoff run, is looking to avoid the same issues that hurt them late in the postseason. "The Blackhawks have too many goalies and not enough spots, and Brossoit's contract and experience make him a natural trade chip for a team like the Oilers."-Julien Trekker Chicago's goalie logjam and Berezhnoy's recent signing are detailed further at NHL.com. Dallas could see its rival upgrade as Blackhawks explore trading Laurent Brossoit Brossoit, 32, carries a $3.3 million cap hit for one more season. Drafted by Calgary in 2011, he's appeared in 140 NHL games, including time with Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Vegas, where he helped the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup in 2023. While Chicago decides, Drew Commesso continues to push for NHL time after posting a .911 save percentage over 39 AHL games. For a deeper look at Commesso's performance, his full profile is on Elite Prospects. I think if Edmonton lands Brossoit or even Commesso, Dallas may have to plan around a deeper Oilers team come playoff time, especially given how tight the Western race looks on paper.