Jon Jones declared his fighting career over, stating "I hung up my gloves, fighter Jon Jones is no more. Now only businessman Jon Jones." Meanwhile, Paulo Costa appeared to struggle significantly making weight at 93kg, with his team posting video of the difficult process. Costa, who previously competed at 84kg, also made inflammatory statements about Russian fighters, claiming to hate them and promising to defeat his upcoming opponent and then Khamzat Chimaev. Johnny Walker presented a surprise gift to Jiri Prochazka related to the upcoming birth of Prochazka's daughter. Josh Hockit was reportedly caught on camera dropping his theatrical persona immediately after filming ended, apologizing to those present.
Jon Jones appears to have walked away from mixed martial arts for good, with the heavyweight champion declaring on social media that he has retired and transitioned fully into a business role. Separately, Paulo Costa was shown on video struggling to make weight at 93 kilograms ahead of an upcoming bout, and a pair of lighter storylines emerged involving Johnny Walker and Josh Hockit.
Jones, 38, finishes his career with a record of 28 wins and just one loss, standing six-foot-four with an 84-inch reach. He carried a striking accuracy of 58 percent and averaged 1.89 takedowns per 15 minutes across his career — numbers that underlined his near-universal standing as one of the sport's all-time greats. In his own words, he has hung up his gloves and now operates solely as a businessman.
Costa, ranked 13th in the middleweight division at 35 years old, is preparing for a fight at 93 kilograms — a significant step up from the 84-kilogram limit at which he previously competed. His team posted video of a visibly difficult weight cut, raising questions about his physical condition heading into the contest. The Brazilian also made pointed comments about Russian fighters in general, singling out Khamzat Chimaev as a future target after he deals with his immediate opponent. Costa averages 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate, making him one of the higher-volume strikers in the division.
On a lighter note, Johnny Walker surprised Jiri Prochazka with a gift tied to the upcoming birth of Prochazka's daughter. The Czech light heavyweight contender, ranked second in his division at 33 years old, carries a record of 32-6-1 and is one of the more explosive fighters in the 205-pound weight class. Finally, Josh Hockit was reportedly captured on camera dropping his theatrical character the moment filming stopped and apologizing to those around him.
Why it matters
- Jones retiring would leave the heavyweight division without its dominant champion and force a realignment at the top of the rankings.
- Costa's struggle at 93 kilograms signals potential durability and health concerns for a fighter already ranked outside the top ten.
- Costa's public targeting of Chimaev adds a potential future booking with genuine divisional interest.
