After months of uncertainty, the UFC heavyweight division finally has some clarity with Jon Jones officially retiring. This decision comes after Jones defeated Miocic at UFC 309 last November, leaving the weight class in a state of limbo. Despite Tom Aspinall holding an interim title, Jones refused to unify the titles, causing frustration among fans and leading to a viral petition to strip him of the belt.

During a press conference following the UFC's debut event in Baku, Dana White confirmed the fate of the heavyweight division. Despite efforts to convince Jones to face Aspinall and solidify his legacy, the UFC CEO was unsuccessful in persuading the GOAT contender to return to the cage for one last fight. Jones called White to officially announce his retirement, leaving the heavyweight gold vacant and Aspinall as the new UFC champion.

Tom Aspinall, who had been holding the interim belt for 19 months, finally achieves his dream of becoming the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion. He earned the interim title with a first-round knockout against Sergei Pavlovich in November 2023 and defended it against Curtis Blaydes while Jones was dismissing him as an opponent. Aspinall's next challenge is expected to come from Ciryl Gane, Jailton Almeida, or Alexander Volkov.