UFC fans finally have some clarity on Jon Jones’ fighting situation — ironically, during the inaugural Most Valuable Promotions event on Netflix earlier this month.

Perennial Jones rival Francis Ngannou starred on the main card, demolishing Philipe Lins inside a round to earn a performance bonus and, presumably, a hefty chunk of Netflix money to go with it. ‘Bones’ was in attendance for the knockout and clearly salivating at the idea of a slice of that pie.

The two former UFC champions circled each other for roughly three years before negotiations ultimately broke down, leading to Ngannou’s departure from the promotion. Jones later captured the heavyweight title before quietly retiring in mid-2025. For one of MMA’s greatest talents, the retirement felt underwhelming, and as Jones revealed during an interview following MVP MMA 1, his relationship with the UFC now seems more restrictive than beneficial.

Jon Jones admits UFC contract is holding him back from the biggest fights

Speaking with the MVP panel during the event, Jones expressed interest in finally fighting Ngannou. ‘Bones’ retirement was turbulent, with the American star facing constant ducking allegations after failing to defend his belt against interim champion Tom Aspinall.

It was a frustrating time to be a UFC fan, with the heavyweight champion failing to give a clear explanation for not defending his belt. But now, as a retired veteran, Jones has finally offered some real clarity on his situation.

“I’ve got to focus on trying to get out of my UFC contract,” Jones said. “That’s going to be the difficult part, if this fight is going to happen.

“I don’t think Dana [White] is interested in doing business with Francis. Doing it with MVP would probably be the only way to make it happen. If we can get out my contract, that would be great.”

“I really have no reason to fight anymore…”

However, Jones did admit he doesn’t feel the pressure to fight while retired.

“I think I am [retired]. I have a really good agent, the Kawa brothers, and these guys keep me busy. I’m constantly on the road, creating my own businesses and endorsing other businesses.

“… I feel like if things weren’t going so well, I’d feel the pressure to get back in the cage, but things are going so well on a professional level that I really have no reason to fight anymore.

Jon Jones is locked behind an 8-fight UFC contract

Jones signed an eight-fight deal with the UFC in 2023 and has only fought out two of those fights, according to established MMA pundit Luke Thomas. At 38, Jones is likely to never fight out of his contract, and as one of their biggest stars, the UFC is unlikely to ever let him go.

It’s part of why the UFC is facing litigation over unfair business practices. Their exclusive contracts do not allow fighters to freely move between promotions without special approval. The only realistic way Jones could escape his contract would be either by paying out to the UFC or by pursuing the ongoing class-action lawsuits against the promotion, which could result in injunctive relief that changes its business practices.

For Jones, it is a sobering reality that he may remain under contract with the UFC for the rest of his professional career. It also helps explain why seeing fighters like Alex Pereira sign eight-fight deals has been such a concerning development for many fans.

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