Jon Jones 'Not Sure' If He's Retired, UFC 327 Gave Him New Fire

By Max Everett
Jon Jones Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

Jon Jones has walked back his retirement stance after attending UFC 327 next to Gable Steveson. 

Jones was busy over the weekend with a Dirty Boxing event on Friday night, attended by the likes of Andrew and Tristan Tate as well as UFC executives Mick Maynard and Hunter Campbell. Campbell and Jones being pictured together carried some significance after the public fall-out between Jones and UFC.

Jones had said he was in negotiations to return at UFC Freedom 250 at the White House in June. He was not a part of the final card and Dana White later said he was never going to be, prompting Jones to say he was lowballed in negotiations for a fight with Alex Pereira – who is on the White House card – and wanted his release if the promotion really believed he was done fighting. 

Nothing came of that but Jones had since said he was hanging the gloves up and wanted to focus on his business career, part of which being as a co-owner to Dirty Boxing. 

However, after appearing alongside new signing, Steveson, at UFC 327 on Saturday night, Jones has said he undecided.

"I'm not sure if I'm retired or not," he told UFC Brasil. "I'm just taking it day-by-day, just trying to figure out my body and how I feel, things like that. Being at the UFC right now definitely is giving me this fire that I haven't felt in a little bit."

When asked why a fight with Pereira hasn't transpired, Jones echoed, "I feel like I wanted to be compensated in a way that I wasn't, we just had a disagreement and that happens in life."

He praised Pereira and when asked whether he has been training for a return, said he had been traveling a lot doing endorsement and ambassadorial work, as well as coaching Steveson. But he said he has been lifting weights and feeling strong and capable of competing again. 

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