Overview

• UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones has sent conflicting messages about his future, claiming he is 'done' while hinting at a possible return on social media.
• Interim champion Tom Aspinall, inactive for nearly a year, has expressed frustration and described the wait for a fight as more mentally challenging than recovering from a previous career-threatening injury.
• UFC president Dana White continues to promise the unification bout will happen this year, but no formal date or agreement has been announced.
• Rumors of Jones demanding a $30 million payout have been refuted by UFC leadership, further clouding the reasons for the delay.
• With UFC’s summer schedule already set, the earliest possible date for the fight appears to be October 2025 or later, leaving fans and fighters in a prolonged state of uncertainty.