MMA fans are convinced the UFC have confirmed Jon Jones’ retirement from the sport.
The former pound-for-pound king and current heavyweight champ has left fight fans on tenterhooks over the last few weeks with conflicting statements over his future.
, 37, has left interim counterpart in limbo with his constant tooing and froing from the prospect of retirement.
Wigan warrior Aspinall came out this week and claimed the MMA great is “RETIRED”; during an appearance on Good Guy/Bad Guy with and Chael Sonnen.
And the UFC made the unprecedented decision to post the ESPN interview, which had a simple thumbnail including a picture of Aspinall and “he’s retired”; emblazoned across it, on their official YouTube channel for their 21 million subscribers to watch.
Their sharing of the video, which isn’t a huge surprise given ESPN are the current owner of the promotion’s North American broadcast rights, set fight fans’ chins wagging.
And several of them interpreted the post as the promotion admitting Jones’ fighting days are over.
One commented on the video: “The fact that the UFC is posting this is encouraging.”;
Another said: “You know Jones is ducking when the UFC allows this on their socials.”;
And another said: “The fact that the UFC uploaded this interview to their channel with this title says A LOT.”;
“There is definite movement of this situation coming.”;
One remarked: “Is this Jon’s retirement announcement?”;
Another chimed in: “To put this interview on the official channel is huge, UFC is getting tired of Jones.”;
The UFC’s sharing of the interview is by no means an admission that Jones has opted to walk away from the sport.
It coud very well be a negotiation tactic to entice the Hall-of-Famer to take the fight, which he demanded “F**K YOU MONEY”; for.
A historic unification bout between Jones and Aspinall has been on the cards since last November.
Jones’ maiden defence of the heavyweight strap against Stipe Miocic at Madison Square Garden set the table for a mammoth melee with Aspinall.
But frustratingly, it’s yet to come to fruition and Aspinall, who hasn’t fought since last July, has been left twiddling his thumbs on the sidelines.
