Jon Jones, widely regarded as the greatest mixed martial artist of all time, announced his retirement from the sport Saturday night following a dominant fifth-round TKO victory over Stipe Miocic at UFC 315 in Las Vegas. Jones, 37, leaves the sport as the undisputed heavyweight champion with a professional record of 28-1.
The announcement came moments after Jones dispatched Miocic with a series of devastating ground-and-pound strikes, prompting the referee to stop the contest at 3:42 of the fifth round. Jones grabbed the microphone in the octagon and thanked his fans, his team, and the UFC before officially announcing his retirement.
UFC President Dana White called Jones ‘the greatest to ever do it, no question.’ Former champions and fighters from across the sport flooded social media with tributes to Jones, whose combination of athleticism, technique, and fight IQ set him apart from every other fighter of his generation.