Several MMA news items were reported in a digest format. Johnny Walker gave Jiri Prochazka a surprise gift ahead of his daughter's birth. Jon Jones declared he has hung up his gloves and is now only businessman Jon Jones, no longer fighter Jon Jones. Paulo Costa reversed his previous stance, now saying he hates Russian fighters and that after dealing with "this fat guy" his third target will be Chimaev. Costa's team posted video showing him struggling to make 93 kg, notable since he previously fought at 84 kg. Josh Hawkit was caught breaking character after filming, immediately switching to a normal tone and apologizing for his antics. Merab Dvalishvili plans to fight twice more this year despite his broken nose.
A handful of notable MMA stories surfaced on April 11, 2026, covering a retirement declaration, a fighter's weight concerns, and an ambitious scheduling plan from a champion contender.
The biggest headline belongs to Jon Jones, 38, who announced that he has retired from competition. The former champion, known as "Bones," stated he is now purely businessman Jon Jones, with fighter Jon Jones a thing of the past. Jones carries a 28-1-0 record across his career, with a six-foot-four frame and an 84-inch reach that made him one of the most physically imposing competitors in the sport. He connected on 58 percent of his significant strikes and averaged 1.89 takedowns per 15 minutes throughout his career.
Paulo Costa, the 35-year-old Brazilian middleweight ranked 13th in his division, generated attention for two reasons. First, the "Eraser" reversed an earlier position and declared he now dislikes Russian fighters, naming Khamzat Chimaev as a future target after his current opponent. Second, and perhaps more concerning, footage posted by his team showed him struggling to reach 93 kg — a weight worth noting given that Costa previously competed at 84 kg in the middleweight division.
On a lighter note, Czech light heavyweight contender Jiri Prochazka, ranked second at 185 pounds and 33 years old, received a surprise gift from teammate Johnny Walker ahead of the birth of his daughter. Prochazka holds a 32-6-1 record and lands 5.69 significant strikes per minute with a 55 percent accuracy rate.
Merab Dvalishvili, despite suffering a broken nose, has stated his intention to compete twice more before the end of 2026.
Why it matters
- Jones's retirement, if confirmed, removes the most decorated heavyweight from the active roster and reshapes the division's landscape entirely
- Costa's weight footage raises questions about his long-term divisional future at middleweight
- Dvalishvili's push for double activity this year signals aggressive title-contention planning despite his injury
