Jon Jones has announced he is hanging up his gloves and that "fighter Jon Jones" no longer exists. Jones stated he will now focus solely on being "businessman Jon Jones." The post also includes several other UFC updates: Johnny Walker gave Jiri Prochazka a surprise gift related to his daughter's upcoming birth, Paulo Costa changed his stance on Russian fighters and is having difficulty making 93 kg after previously competing at 84 kg, Josh Hockit apologized to his team after another staged weigh-in stunt, and Merab Dvalishvili plans to fight twice more this year despite a broken nose. Additional notes mention ceremonial weigh-in highlights featuring Jiri Prochazka's crowd energy.
Jon Jones declared his career as a professional fighter is over, announcing around the time of UFC 327 on April 11, 2026, that "fighter Jon Jones" no longer exists and that he intends to move forward exclusively as "businessman Jon Jones."
Jones, 38, retires with a record of 28 wins and one loss, widely regarded as one of the most dominant careers in the sport's history. Standing six-foot-four with an 84-inch reach, the Orthodox-stance heavyweight and former light heavyweight posted a striking accuracy of 58 percent across his career, while also averaging 1.89 takedowns per 15 minutes — a combination of range, precision, and wrestling that defined his long run atop the sport.
Elsewhere around UFC 327, Jiri Prochazka received a surprise gift from light heavyweight contender Johnny Walker, tied to the anticipated birth of Prochazka's daughter. The Czech fighter, ranked second in the light heavyweight division at 33 years old, carries a record of 32-6-1 and is among the division's most electric competitors, landing 5.69 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy with a reach of 80 inches.
Middleweight Paulo Costa, ranked 13th at 35 years old, made headlines for a shift in his stated position on Russian fighters, and is also reported to be struggling to reach 93 kilograms after previously competing at 84 kilograms. The Brazilian, who lands 6.26 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy, has not recorded a submission attempt throughout his tracked career data.
Why it matters
- Jones retiring removes the heavyweight division's most prominent name and creates a significant void at the top of the sport.
- Costa's weight difficulties at 93 kg raise questions about his divisional future, given he previously competed 9 kg lighter.
- Prochazka's continued presence and crowd connection at UFC 327 reinforces his standing as a marquee draw at light heavyweight.
Saturday, April 11, 2026
