Fan petition to strip Jon Jones of UFC title passes 100,000 signatures
Fan petition to strip Jon Jones of UFC title passes 100,000 signatures
The fans want Dana White and the UFC brass to end Jon Jones' reign as heavyweight champion by force.
With uncertainty still surrounding whether Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) will push back retirement plans for a title unification bout with interim champion Tom Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC), a petition for the promotion to strip Jones of his belt has now crossed six figures.
Exactly two weeks ago, a "Petition to strip Jon Jones of the undisputed UFC heavyweight belt" was launched on Change.org. The signatures have stacked up at a rapid pace, and as of Wednesday afternoon the number exceeded 115,000.
Jones has acknowledged the petition within comments on Instagram, mocking its existence and reiterating that he's living his "best life" and totally unconcerned about fan's clamoring for answers.
The biggest figures of the sport have chimed in on the saga. Michael Bisping urged Jones to "defend or vacate," Chael Sonnen said the world is "caring less and less" about a Jones vs. Aspinall fight, and an optimistic Daniel Cormier recently said he thinks it will actually happen.
Jones has competed just twice since leaving the light heavyweight division in February 2021. He defeated Ciryl Gane for the vacant heavyweight belt previously held by Francis Ngannou in March 2023, then defended against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in November.
Aspinall, meanwhile, won the interim strap with a quick knockout of Sergei Pavlovich in November 2023, then recorded a rare interim title defense over Curtis Blaydes in July.
UFC CEO Dana White previously "guaranteed" Jones vs. Aspinall would happen this year and has remained steadfast it will materialize despite all the public speculation.
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