Jon Jones has announced his retirement from fighting, stating "I hung up the gloves, fighter Jon Jones is no more. Now only businessman Jon Jones." Meanwhile, Paulo Costa is having significant difficulty making the middleweight limit, with his team posting video showing him struggling to reach 93 kg (205 pounds). This is particularly notable as Costa previously competed at 84 kg (185 pounds), suggesting a substantial weight cut challenge. Costa also made antagonistic comments about Russian fighters ahead of his bout with Azamat Murzakanov. Additionally, Merab Dvalishvili plans to fight twice more this year despite a broken nose, and Sean Strickland briefly broke character after a promotional event to apologize to those present.
Jon Jones has announced his retirement from mixed martial arts, declaring in his own words that he has "hung up the gloves" and that "fighter Jon Jones is no more — now only businessman Jon Jones."
Jones, 38, finishes his career with a record of 28-1-0, widely regarded as one of the most decorated runs in the sport's history. Standing six-foot-four with an 84-inch reach, the orthodox heavyweight was a statistical force throughout his tenure, landing 4.38 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy while also averaging 1.89 takedowns per 15 minutes. His departure leaves a significant void at the top of the heavyweight division.
Separately, Paulo Costa is drawing attention ahead of his upcoming bout with Azamat Murzakanov, and not entirely for positive reasons. Costa's team posted video showing him struggling to reach 93 kilograms — 205 pounds — which is actually above the middleweight limit of 84 kilograms where the Brazilian has spent the bulk of his career. The footage raises serious questions about his conditioning ahead of the fight. The 35-year-old holds a 16-4-0 record and ranks 13th in the middleweight division, where he has historically been one of the more aggressive volume strikers, averaging 6.26 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy. Costa also made antagonistic remarks targeting Russian fighters in the lead-up to the contest.
In other news, Merab Dvalishvili has indicated he intends to compete twice more before the year is out, despite carrying a broken nose. And middleweight champion Sean Strickland, 35, who holds a 31-7-0 record, briefly stepped away from his well-known public persona following a promotional event to offer a genuine apology to those in attendance.
Why it matters
- Jones's retirement removes the reigning heavyweight champion from the division, creating an immediate title picture shakeup.
- Costa's weight difficulties at above the middleweight limit cast doubt on his readiness for a fight already complicated by pre-bout controversy.
- Strickland's unguarded moment adds a rare human dimension to one of the sport's most deliberately provocative public figures.
