![Top Legendary Cricketers Who Retired Without a Farewell [Updated 2025]](https://sportspromax.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/image-300x200.webp "Top Legendary Cricketers Who Retired Without a Farewell [Updated 2025] 2")
The initial stakes that former American champ and UFC HW Jon Jones would make the “America 250” White House PPV card didn’t look too high. UFC CEO Dana White told the media scrum that ‘Bones’ walked away from a done deal and brass had agreed to his PPV compensatory demands.
However, Jon Jones retired without facing Tom Aspinall and the Brit made the default undisputed UFC HW champ. Hence, White had reserved his choice of basing such a mega card on the unreliable Jones; during UFC 319 post-fight conference interviews, the bossman even gave him astronomical odds of return, marking his unreliability.
Whether it’s a ‘billion-to-one’ stakes or not, historian of war Jones knows his worth, and as a long consensus GOAT for many, he is resilient. Jones was met with media scrum at the MTV VMAs, where he was asked about his MMA retirement. The Jackson’s Acoma team standout said he’s still training for a fight at the White House.
“I am not retired, …’not retired’…I’m actively training 5 days a week, and [also] I’m in the UFC’s drug testing pool. I don’t know, I don’t really know [about a White House fight]. It’s kind of out of my control fight now. I’m training for the event. I’ll be ready; That’s my intention, but ultimately it’s up to the boss.
Jon Jones said at the MTV VMAs media one-on-one; 🎥: @DeniseWhite_EAG of EAG Sports Management
Jones ended his MMA parade in June but did a walkback on it in just two weeks. Like many others, he re-entered the DFSI testing pool and wanted back his glory. The former UFC champ avoided Aspinall, saying that the UK Native had not achieved much and was just the hot new thing now. Fighting him would not be that feasible for the 38-year-old, as Jones has explained that not everyone who’d be next would again be high caliber.
🚨 Jon Jones says he is NOT retired and is training 5 days a week for the UFC White House event
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) September 8, 2025
"I'm not retired, I'm actively training 5 days a week and I'm in the UFC's drug testing pool…
I'm training for the [White House] event, I'll be ready for the event… but… pic.twitter.com/dS6r3uBiYZ
However, for Jones, he said the allure of fighting at the White House and representing his nation would again scratch that itch and get him up in the morning. Unlike a title unifier, wherein he thought UFC Execs shouldn’t have given Aspinall an interim gold so soon anyway, this would be a legacy fight and return.
So for now, while considered the best fighter, Jones is in the doghouse of matchmaking. Bossman White has said he ‘doesn’t trust’ Jones to live up to his end for a mega fight, and then gave him impossible odds. Even Aspinall doesn’t want to fight him anymore.
Can Jon Jones fight in Donald Trump’s backyard?
UFC matchmaking, Sean Shelby, and Mick Maynard are missing American staples who are current champs. The Team Jackson’s MMA Acoma martial artist is a gold-standard veteran (28-1-0) and would make all the sense. All of Jones’ last fights since UFC 128: Shogun vs. Jones, 2011, were title fights and he went undefeated.
However, UFC likes to negotiate from a place of power, and Jon Jones has already ‘retired’ rather than face Tom Aspinall for a $30 million PPV compensatory amount. Subsequently, this marks the second time Jones has handed over UFC hardware rather than make a fight. UFC isn’t fond of that.
Unsealed files from the Le vs. Zuffa antitrust case (Case No. 2:15-cv-01045-RFB-BNW) saw the bossman vent out to Lorenzo Fertitta, calling Jon Jones a “p*nk” for avoiding fights. For the better part of 5-6 years, he avoided a fight with No.1 Heavyweight contender Francis Ngannou, now an ex-UFC lineal HW who took up the mantle.
Jones took 3 years to shift to 265 pounds after Ngannou had quit, and only made one title defense of the gold in 27 months. That makes for two ballot fights in the heavyweight division in 5+ years, which are the stats he retired on. Doesn’t scream reliable now, does it?
White recently stated that the likelihood of Jones fighting on the White House card was “a billion to one.” It is conceivable that the probability of such an outcome would be amplified if Jones were to make a ballot fight in early 2026. But he wants only the White House fight; no Aspinall, no lower competition. So it is hard to presume he makes it.
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