Jon Jones: 'I Think I Could Be Done'

Jon Jones may have already fought his final fight even if he hasn’t fully admitted it yet. The former two-division UFC champion officially notified the Ultimate Fighting Championship of his retirement this past June, a move that elevated interim champion Tom Aspinall to undisputed heavyweight king.

But in true Jon Jones fashion, the story didn’t end there. When the UFC announced its ambitious White House card, Jon Jones re-entered the promotion’s drug-testing pool and has reportedly already submitted a test in 2026 fueling speculation that he was targeting one more marquee appearance, possibly against Alex Pereira.

UFC CEO Dana White has publicly shut down that possibility multiple times. And now, Jones himself appears to be leaning toward closing the book. Speaking with Helen Yee, Jones reflected less like a fighter plotting a comeback and more like a veteran evaluating the right exit.

“Oh man, just a happy guy that’s it,” Jones said when asked about his 2026 goals. “Expect Jon Jones to continue to grow as a human being… I think my best self is on its way, and that’s a person without fighting.”

When pressed directly about retirement, Jones didn’t declare it outright but he didn’t push back either. “I think I could be done,” Jones admitted. “I’m young enough… I am healthy enough… but I’ve always been used to competing with the best in the world. So I don’t know, that’s a really high standard to uphold.”

For Jones, the hesitation isn’t about ability it’s about legacy. “Maybe it’s about doing it right and getting out at a really good time… I don’t want to be one of these fighters that win some and lose some, and can’t remember what your name is.”

It was a sobering moment from a man who built his career on dominance, controversy, and historic achievement.

The Heavyweight Chapter

Jones vacated the light heavyweight title in 2020 to pursue a move to heavyweight. After a three-year layoff, he returned at UFC 285 in March 2023 and submitted Ciryl Gane to capture the vacant heavyweight championship.

He competed just once more stopping former champion Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in November 2024. The fight many fans wanted a unification bout with Aspinall never materialized, despite White publicly guaranteeing it would happen. Since then, the heavyweight division has felt incomplete, lingering in the shadow of what could have been.

Mentor Over Champion?

At 38, Jones sounds increasingly at peace with stepping away. He has spoken more about mentoring younger fighters and personal growth than championship pursuits.

For a fighter long driven by proving he’s the best in the world, that shift is significant. Jon Jones has nothing left to prove inside the Octagon. The only remaining question is whether he truly believes that himself.

If this is the end, it closes the career of one of MMA’s most talented and most complicated legends. And if it isn’t? The door isn’t locked, but it’s barely open.