Jon Jones has declared his fighting career over, stating "I hung up my gloves, fighter Jon Jones is no more. Now only businessman Jon Jones." Paulo Costa is reportedly struggling significantly with his weight cut, with his team posting video of him barely making 93 kg. This is notable as Costa previously competed at 84 kg, representing a dramatic weight increase. Costa has also escalated his rhetoric against Russian fighters, saying "I hate Russian fighters" and vowing to defeat his upcoming opponent before targeting Khamzat Chimaev next. Meanwhile, Johnny Walker surprised Jiri Prochazka with a gift ahead of the birth of Prochazka's daughter. Merab Dvalishvili confirmed plans to fight twice more this year despite his broken nose.
Jon Jones has declared his career as a professional fighter finished, posting a statement confirming he has retired and is moving on exclusively to business pursuits. Separately, Paulo Costa is dealing with a dramatic weight situation ahead of his next bout, while Merab Dvalishvili revealed plans to compete twice more in 2026 despite suffering a broken nose.
Jones, 38, ends a career that produced a 28-1-0 record across the Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight divisions. Standing six-foot-four with an 84-inch reach, "Bones" posted a striking accuracy of 58 percent over his career along with 1.89 takedowns per 15 minutes, numbers that underscored his versatility as a complete mixed martial artist. His announcement was direct: he described himself as no longer a fighter and said only the businessman version of himself remains.
Costa, ranked 13th at Middleweight with a 16-4-0 record, is reportedly struggling to manage his weight ahead of competition. His team posted video showing him barely holding at 93 kg, a notable figure given the 35-year-old Brazilian previously competed at 84 kg. The six-foot-one fighter out of Team Borracha has been vocal in the lead-up to his next fight, stating he intends to beat his upcoming opponent before pursuing a match with Khamzat Chimaev. He also made inflammatory remarks about Russian fighters.
In lighter news, Johnny Walker presented Czech Republic fighter Jiri Prochazka with a gift ahead of the birth of Prochazka's daughter. The second-ranked Light Heavyweight holds a 32-6-1 record and stands six-foot-three with a reach of 80 inches, landing 5.69 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy. Dvalishvili separately confirmed he is planning two more fights this year in spite of a broken nose.
Why it matters
- Jones retiring creates a permanent vacancy at the top of the Heavyweight division with no clear successor established
- Costa's reported weight increase of nearly 9 kg above his former competing weight raises questions about his future division
- Dvalishvili's intent to fight twice more this year signals continued activity near the top of the Bantamweight ranks
