Jon Jones has announced he is hanging up his gloves, declaring that "fighter Jon Jones is no more." Jones stated that from now on, there is "only businessman Jon Jones." The announcement was part of a digest of news that also included Johnny Walker giving Jiri Prochazka a surprise gift ahead of his daughter's birth, and Paulo Costa struggling to make 93 kg at weigh-ins after previously competing at 84 kg. Costa also stated his hatred for Russian fighters and vowed to defeat his upcoming opponent before targeting Khamzat Chimaev. Merab Dvalishvili plans to fight twice more this year despite a broken nose.
Jon Jones, one of the most decorated fighters in mixed martial arts history, declared his retirement from competition on April 11, 2026, announcing that "fighter Jon Jones is no more" and that he would be moving forward solely as a businessman.
Jones, 38, finishes his career with a 28-1-0 record, widely regarded as among the greatest résumés the sport has ever seen. Standing six-foot-four with an 84-inch reach, "Bones" was a long, athletic presence who blended elite wrestling with sharp striking, landing 4.38 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy while also averaging 1.89 takedowns per 15 minutes throughout his career.
In other news making rounds, light heavyweight contender Jiri Prochazka received a surprise gift from fellow 205-pound fighter Johnny Walker ahead of the birth of Prochazka's daughter. The Czech Republic native currently sits ranked second in the light heavyweight division at 33 years old, carrying a 32-6-1 record. The six-foot-three southpaw-turned-orthodox striker is one of the division's most dangerous finishers, averaging 5.69 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy.
Paulo Costa ran into trouble at the scale, struggling to reach 93 kilograms at a recent weigh-in despite previously competing at 84 kilograms. The Brazilian middleweight, ranked 13th at 35 years old with a 16-4-0 record, also made clear his animosity toward Russian fighters and stated his intention to defeat his upcoming opponent before setting his sights on Khamzat Chimaev. Costa is one of the division's most aggressive strikers, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy.
Finally, bantamweight Merab Dvalishvili revealed he plans to compete twice more before the year is out, doing so while managing a broken nose.
Why it matters
- Jones's retirement, if confirmed, creates a genuine vacancy at the top of the heavyweight division where he had been the reigning champion
- Costa's weight issues at 93 kilograms raise questions about his long-term divisional future, given his middleweight roots at 84 kilograms
- Prochazka remains a pivotal figure in a light heavyweight division that could now see significant reshuffling
