Jones Responds to Retirement Criticism, Hints at ‘Snakes’

Jon Jones addressed the backlash surrounding his recent UFC retirement announcement via social media on Tuesday, stating, ‘I guess everybody else gets to retire, just not when you’re still dominating.’

The possibility of a fight between Jones and former interim champion Tom Aspinall had been a major talking point for months within the UFC community. The pressure intensified as fans urged Jones to accept Aspinall’s challenge for a unification bout.

This past Saturday, following an event in Azerbaijan, UFC CEO Dana White declared Jones’ official retirement, simultaneously crowning Aspinall as the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion.

Jones also verified his departure through a social media post, which drew considerable criticism from fans accusing him of avoiding a fight with Aspinall. Despite the negativity, some fans offered supportive messages. However, fellow MMA fighter Demetrious Johnson expressed confusion over Jones’ decision to retire rather than face Aspinall.

After a few days since his official retirement, Jones has responded to the criticism with an Instagram story online. He stated: “I guess everybody else gets to retire, just not when you’re still dominating. Funny how that works. Forget personal goals, forget business ventures. Some folks really believe you should fight until they say you’ve had enough. Wild. Imagine thinking a grown man shouldn’t control his own destiny,” alongside a photo of all of the UFC champions from 2011.

In a separate post on X (formerly Twitter), Jones alluded to untrustworthy individuals, referring to some as ‘snakes.’ He wrote:

Jones’ cryptic message

“One thing we all know about snakes, you let them hang around long enough, it’s only a matter of time before you get bit. It’s good to be real with the people that’s known you for a long time, but sometimes it’s ok to outgrow people.”