John Jones is one of the greatest fighters of all time, and without question… why was his reaction to retirement not unanimously praise?
To say Jones’ legacy is complicated is an understatement. His achievements in the cage are almost unparalleled. He is the youngest fighter to win the UFC title (he did it at age 23 when he defeated Mauricio “General” RUA). 8 straight light heavyweight title defenses, totaling 11. He won the vacant heavyweight championship and defended it once. You will not be legally lost in 30 professional battles.
And then there’s the misstep. His first title ended when he was stripped of due to a hit-and-run belief that escaped the scene after he collided with two other vehicles, including a pregnant woman. He regained the incontroversial title with Daniel Cormier’s epic head kick, but only overturned the results when he tested positive for a banned substance.
A close call on Dominique Reyes. Three years of break from the competition. There will be no battle with Francis Ngannow. There will be no fights with Tom Aspinall. He was appointed to the UFC Hall of Fame Battle Building, including legal issues, domestic battery charging in September 2021.
Again, it’s complicated.
Fans seem to feel the same way that Jones has had mixed reactions to the news that he is no longer planning on competing in MMA and not all respectfully.
Check out what the MMA Fighting community had to say about Jones’ retirement below.