Pressure Mounts As Over 80,000 Fans Demand UFC Strip Jon Jones Of Heavyweight Title, “Bones” Remains Unfazed

Jon Jones appears entirely indifferent by the growing calls from the MMA community for him to be stripped of his UFC heavyweight title.

Jones clinched the UFC heavyweight title with a first-round submission win over Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 in March 2023. However, more than two years have passed since that moment, and he has defended his title only once during that span.

“Bones” has spent the bulk of his heavyweight reign on the sidelines after suffering a serious torn pectoral injury ahead of his first title defense against former champ Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 in November 2023. Following his injury-induced exit, Tom Aspinall captured the interim heavyweight title and emerged as the division’s new force.

However, rather than facing Aspinall in a highly anticipated title unification clash, Jon Jones chose a different path upon his return to the Octagon — opting instead to defend his heavyweight belt against Miocic at UFC 309 this past November.

Although the British standout has relentlessly campaigned for a potential showdown with Jones, “Bones” has expressed minimal interest in the matchup. He has repeatedly suggested that only a massive payday could entice him into the Octagon with Aspinall — otherwise, he seems more inclined to retire. Jones’ stance has remained largely noncommittal, casting serious doubt over whether the fight will ever materialize.

Jon Jones Responds To Fan-Led Petition To Strip His UFC Heavyweight Belt

Frustrated by Jon Jones’ seemingly nonchalant attitude toward a potential heavyweight title unification bout with Tom Aspinall, fans launched a petition on Change.org two weeks ago, urging UFC CEO Dana White to take action and strip “Bones” of his title over his ongoing unwillingness to face the interim champion.

The petition has surprisingly gained momentum, amassing over 82,000 verified signatures at the time of writing.

The surge of fan backlash has not gone unnoticed by Jones, who addressed the petition on social media by taking a pointed jab at his naysayers.

“The equivalent to pico grams,” Jon Jones wrote on Instagram.

Jones’ jab carried a not-so-subtle reference to one of the most controversial moments of his UFC career. The joke traced back to UFC 232 in December 2018, when “Bones” made his return from a 15-month suspension after testing positive for an anabolic steroid, stepping in to rematch Alexander Gustafsson.

However, just a week before the fight, Jones once again tested positive, this time for trace amounts measured in picograms of the same steroid that had previously led to his suspension. Years later, USADA revised its regulations, clarifying that levels below 100 picograms no longer constitute a violation.