Overview

• UFC CEO Dana White announced in Baku that Jon Jones called the promotion on Friday night to inform them he was retiring from competition
• Jones leaves the division without facing interim champion Tom Aspinall after last defending the belt against Stipe Miocic in November 2024
• Tom Aspinall, who secured the interim heavyweight title in November 2023, has been elevated to undisputed champion status
• UFC executives will meet with Aspinall during International Fight Week to schedule and plan his first defense as the new champion
• Ciryl Gane, Alexander Volkov and Sergei Pavlovich have emerged as leading contenders to challenge Aspinall for the unified heavyweight title