UFC fans are strongly urging Dana White to make the tough decision and strip Jon Jones of his heavyweight championship.
A major unification bout between Jones and the interim champion, Tom Aspinall, has been anticipated since November but has yet to happen.
This is despite the UFC organization reportedly being willing to break their pay structure and meet Jones` demands to be paid “F**K YOU MONEY” for the bout.
Jones, formerly considered the best pound-for-pound fighter, has frustrated MMA enthusiasts recently by being indecisive about retirement.
He again left fight fans uncertain during a recent interview.
In a rare interview on Deepcut with VicBlends, Jones stated: “I don`t know what life holds as far as fighting and competing. I do feel like I`ll be a lifelong martial artist whether I`m coaching others or taking exhibition matches and things like that.
“There`s a lot of great competition still in the UFC. I do view myself as more than a fighter.
“Being in my position, I feel like I have a lot more options than a lot of the other fighters as far as the ability to leave and return.
“And so right now I`m just focusing on love, happiness, kindness. We`re at the quarter-century mark, and this year should be a really special year.”
Jones` remarks quickly angered UFC fans globally, who voiced their frustrations on social media.
One fan commented: “Strip him already, make [Ciryl] Gane vs Aspinall in the UK. We`ve had enough of this. Enjoy your retirement [and] if you want to come back, you’ll have to fight Aspinall anyway.”
Another wrote: “He took 3 years off to `prepare for Heavyweight`. How much time does he need? STRIP HIM!”
And another said: “Strip him of the belt and let him come back and fight for it when he’s ready.”
One remarked: “If he doesn`t know, then I`d say he`s done. Shame Dana can`t compute that.”
Many fans feel the UFC is mishandling the situation. They argue that if Jones has quit, the UFC should move forward. If he`s just delaying, they believe the UFC should set a deadline. This uncertainty, they claim, is harming the UFC`s reputation as fans are frustrated by the lack of clear information.
Jones has faced accusations of avoiding the interim champion Tom Aspinall since the planned title defense against Stipe Miocic last November fell through due to injury.
Fans` patience with the Hall of Famer is wearing thin, although he maintains he isn`t being misleading.
Recently on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote: “Y`all barkin` up the wrong tree. I told the UFC my plans a long time ago. I have no clue why they haven’t shared them with you guys yet.”
Jones` claim that White and the UFC brass are aware of his plans came just days after the UFC president *guaranteed* his return to the octagon this year.
He told Adam Glyn: “Jon Jones will definitely be fighting in 2025. 100 per cent.”
