Jon Jones, the former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion, has announced his retirement from mixed martial arts amid fresh legal troubles. On June 21, 2025, Jones confirmed his retirement with a heartfelt message expressing gratitude to the UFC, his family, coaches, and fans, and optimism about future opportunities beyond fighting12.
However, shortly after his retirement announcement, it was revealed that Jones faces a criminal charge related to an incident from February 2025. He has been issued a misdemeanor charge for allegedly fleeing the scene of a traffic accident in Albuquerque, New Mexico. According to police reports, a woman found in the passenger seat of one of the involved vehicles was heavily intoxicated and partially unclothed. She claimed Jones was the driver and fled the scene on foot. When contacted by phone, a man believed to be Jones appeared intoxicated and made veiled threats implying access to lethal force through third parties. Jones did not confirm his identity during the call
Jones was interviewed by police days after the crash, during which he stated the woman had left his house intoxicated and called him after the accident. The woman corroborated that Jones was the last person she remembered driving her vehicle. Jones reportedly called the woman multiple times following the incident. The criminal summons was filed on June 17, 2025, and Jones is scheduled to appear in court for a bond arraignment on July 24, 2025
This legal issue adds to a history of off-cage controversies for Jones, including a prior hit-and-run conviction in 2015, domestic violence arrest, and multiple suspensions related to failed drug tests. Despite the legal challenges, Jones had an unparalleled MMA career, holding numerous UFC records, with 28 wins, 1 loss, and 1 no-contest, and capturing both the light heavyweight and heavyweight titles
The UFC has promoted interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall to undisputed champion following Jones’ retirement3. There is no immediate indication that the new misdemeanor charge influenced Jones’ decision to retire, which he described as coming “after a lot of reflection
In summary, Jon Jones has retired from the UFC while facing a misdemeanor charge for allegedly fleeing the scene of a February car accident in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is due in court on July 24, 2025, for arraignment on this charge