In what could be an insane plot twist to current UFC occasions, former UFC two-division champion Jon Jones — simply two weeks after saying his official retirement from MMA — has introduced he’s popping out of retirement and re-entering the UFC’s drug testing pool.
Jones introduced the transfer himself on social media, stating “figured we’d hold everybody’s choices open.”
It seems the current information of U.S. President Donald Trump’s need to have a UFC card on the grounds of the White Home subsequent Fourth of July weekend — as a part of the nation’s occasions to rejoice the nation’s 250th birthday — might have hooked in Jones as nicely, based mostly on a distinct social media put up about 20 minutes prior.
Conor McGregor beforehand posted to social media earlier within the day, teasing that such an occasion might be what brings him out of his lengthy UFC hiatus, and maybe lastly to tackle Michael Chandler.
Jon Jones Asserting Reversal On Retirement Determination?
This information comes on the heels of Jones saying his retirement just lately in what many thought marked the tip of an extended, drawn-out saga of battle negotiations between him and new undisputed UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall.
There’s a dispute over whether or not or not a battle between the 2 was almost official previous to Jones’ retirement. Jones has claimed {that a} battle was by no means signed; in the meantime, UFC President Dana White claimed the battle had been signed and was to be introduced — just for Jones to alter his thoughts and retire, citing a scarcity of curiosity in competing. Jones made these remarks on a podcast look. MMA insider Ariel Helwani, in the meantime, claims White’s aspect to the story is the true sequence of occasions.
After dominating the UFC’s gentle heavyweight scene all through the 2010s, Jones relinquished the sunshine heavyweight title in 2020 and took a three-year hiatus, coming again at UFC 285 to defeat Ciryl Gane for the UFC heavyweight title.
He was scheduled to defend the title at UFC 295 in opposition to Stipe Miocic, however the battle was delayed one 12 months after Jones tore his pec. The UFC elected to not strip Jones, with Aspinall successful the interim title on the card and making a uncommon protection of an interim belt, defeating Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304. Jones went on to defeat Miocic at UFC 309.
Jones has handled loads of authorized troubles through the years as nicely, and simply hours after retiring, a report got here out accusing Jones of leaving the scene of an accident this previous February. Police alleged that, when talking with Jones — after discovering a girl bare from the waist down in a car allegedly pushed by Jones — Jones implied “his capability to make use of deadly drive via third events.”
