ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith is ‘incredibly disappointed’ with Jon Jones’ retirement: ‘Handle it, then retire!’

With Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight Jon Jones’ random retirement still sending shockwaves throughout the combat sports world, more and more fighters and analysts are reacting to the news.

Today (Mon., June 23, 2025), long-time Jones fan and ESPN talking head Stephen A Smith gave his thoughts on the “Bones” retirement and he’s pretty bummed.

“I’m not going to accuse the greatest mixed martial artist I’ve ever seen in my life in Jon ‘Bones’ Jones [of ducking Tom Aspinall], “Smith said on ESPN’s First Take. “I have that much admiration for him. Having said that, I’m incredibly, incredibly disappointed with this news. If you are a fighter, which he is at a very elite level, and that’s the fight that people want to see, give us the fight that we wanna see.

“What do we complain about with boxing? We complain about promoters and others getting in the way of us getting the fights that we wanna see when we wanna see it. And Jon ‘Bones’ Jones, he’s literally this kind of person,” Smith continued. “If you get on his nerves, one or two things will happen. They wanna kick your ass, which he’s fully capable of doing and does it at an elite level, or he’ll say to hell with you. I’m not gonna give you the privilege of fighting me because that fighter annoyed him.”

“As opposed to looking at the audience out here spanning millions and millions of people who recognize your greatness and wanna see you against this guy who’s been calling you out for the longest time,” Smith added. “Handle it. Then, retire if you want to, but don’t retire, because there’s not a fight out there that you’re interested in.”

“This guy irritates you, so ‘to hell with it, I’m not gonna give him the privilege to fight me.’ It ain’t about that,” Smith concluded. “That audience out there who loves you, who recognizes your unquestionable greatness, we wanna see you handle this guy!”

Smith might have had some dumb takes in the past, but he’s right on the money with this one.

Not only did Jones rob Aspinall of a year of his athletic prime, but he also robbed him of getting a chance at fighting greatness. And now, the newer fans (or old-heads) of the sport will not remember Jones’ early career; they will remember him ducking the rightful interim champion.

Legacy secured, though.