Tom Aspinall releases statement as new UFC heavyweight champion following Jon Jones retirement news
Tom Aspinall can finally put the Jon Jones drama behind him.
On Saturday, following UFC Baku, UFC CEO Dana White spoke to reporters and announced Jones is officially retired. Jones was the incumbent undisputed heavyweight champion, but with the 37-year-old hanging up the gloves, Aspinall is officially promoted from interim to undisputed status.
Shortly after the news was announced, Aspinall—MMA Fighting’s No. 1-ranked heavyweight—released a statement via Instagram, which can be seen below.
“For you fans,” Aspinall wrote. “It’s time to get this heavyweight division going. An active undisputed champion.”
Aspinall and Jones have been embroiled in an endless feud for the better part of the past two years, with Jones frequently stating he was uninterested in ever facing Aspinall in a heavyweight title unification bout.
Jones won a vacant title in March 2023 by running through Ciryl Gane and then doing the same in his first title defense against Stipe Miocic, which was delayed a year before taking place at UFC 309 this past November.
Aspinall has long had the more convincing résumé at heavyweight, with an 8-1 UFC record. His lone loss was due to injury and he avenged it when he defeated Curtis Blaydes to defend his interim title at UFC 304.
Now, Aspinall awaits official word on who his next title defense will be against, with names such as Ciryl Gane, Jailton Almeida, and former two-division champion Alex Pereira all in the mix.