Jon Jones has declared his fighting career over, stating he has hung up his gloves and is now solely focused on business pursuits. Paulo Costa has shifted his stance, now expressing hatred for Russian fighters and vowing to defeat multiple Russian opponents including Khamzat Chimaev. Footage emerged of Costa struggling to make 93 kg, a significant jump from his previous 84 kg weight class. Merab Dvalishvili plans to fight twice more in 2026 despite his broken nose. Johnny Walker presented a surprise gift to Jiri Prochazka related to the upcoming birth of Prochazka's daughter. Josh Hawkit was caught on camera immediately dropping his persona after filming ended and apologizing for his antics.
Jon Jones has declared his MMA career finished, Paulo Costa is setting his sights on Russian opponents while adjusting to a new weight class, and Merab Dvalishvili is mapping out a busy 2026 schedule despite a broken nose — all part of a busy news cycle in the sport.
Jones, 38, made the announcement that he has hung up his gloves and is moving on to business ventures. The American heavyweight — standing six-foot-four with an 84-inch reach — retires with a 28-1-0 record, a striking accuracy of 58 percent, and a takedown rate of 1.89 per 15 minutes that underlined his versatility throughout a career that redefined the sport's expectations of a dominant champion.
Costa, ranked 13th in the middleweight division at 35 years old, has taken a harder public stance toward Russian fighters, singling out Khamzat Chimaev among those he intends to beat. The Brazilian, who carries a 16-4-0 record and one of the higher striking outputs in the division at 6.26 significant strikes per minute, was also captured on video struggling to cut to 93 kg — a notable step up from his previous 84 kg competition weight, suggesting a divisional move is in progress.
Elsewhere, Jiri Prochazka received a surprise gift from fellow light heavyweight Johnny Walker connected to the expected birth of Prochazka's daughter. The Czech fighter, ranked second at 205 pounds with a 32-6-1 record and a reach of 80 inches, remains one of the division's most active and aggressive strikers at 5.69 significant strikes per minute.
Why it matters
- Jones retiring removes the heavyweight division's most prominent name from the active roster, reshaping the title picture immediately.
- Costa's weight class move to the 93 kg range, combined with his Brazilian top-15 middleweight pedigree, could create significant matchup opportunities in a new division.
- Dvalishvili's commitment to two fights in 2026 signals the bantamweight title picture will remain active despite his injury.
