According to UFC president Dana White, the deal for Jon Jones, 37, to face Aspinall was “done” before Jones called White on Saturday and retired from mixed martial arts competition.

Jones was the heavyweight champion and in discussion to fight interim titleholder Tom Aspinall throughout the year

Months of speculation regarding Jones' future came to an abrupt conclusion in Baku, Azerbaijan, of all places, where the UFC was hosting a Fight Night. White nonchalantly informed the world that the greatest mixed martial artist of all time had retired, putting an end to a potential heavyweight title unification bout between him and Tom Aspinall.