Jon Jones explains chronic medical diagnosis with UFC comeback stance revealed

Jon Jones has revealed that he has been diagnosed with an incurable medical condition just over a year after retiring from MMA.

Jones is widely considered one of the greatest fighters to have fought under the UFC banner and hung up his gloves with a professional record of 28-1 (1), with his sole defeat coming before his time at the world’s premier MMA organisation.

In the final years of his career, Jones was relatively inactive, fighting just twice – against Ciryl Gane in 2023 and Stipe Miocic in 2024 – between February 2020 and his June 2025 retirement.

One man who was left frustrated by Jones’ retirement was current undisputed heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, who waited for almost two years to fight ‘Bones’ before the bout never materialised.

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But would Jones ever consider a return to combat sports?

The American was asked exactly that during a recent interview with Ring Magazine, and he refused to rule out the prospect of a return to fighting, whether that be in MMA, boxing or bare-knuckle.

“When it comes to me actually fighting anyone, I just keep the door open. I'm still in the UFC's drug testing pool, I get drug tested and blood tested all the time,” he said.

“The door is open. I'm just allowing time to fly by focusing on somebody else. If I get that call or a tug from higher powers, then I'm going to have to answer that call. But right now, I feel like I'm in the right place, which is serving someone else.”

Jones was part of Gable Steveson’s team at UFC 329, with the heavyweight prospect knocking out Elisha Ellison in his first UFC bout while Jones watched from Octagon-side.

Jones continued: “I'm living vicariously through my buddy Gable Steveson, the UFC heavyweight prospect that I am coaching. I tell everybody that being backstage, being around the fans, seeing that passion, being in the gym training, I get to do it all over again through Gable. So I'm giving him my absolute best, teaching him everything I know about the sport. A lot of fans are like, 'Jon, when are you going to come back?' And those same fans are also saying, 'Welcome back, coach Jones.' I'm getting my itch. I feel like I'm giving the fans their itch, but I'm just doing it with a fighter from a younger generation.”

When asked if he’d be up for fighting Oleksandr Usyk in boxing, Jones declared he was “not interested… not at all”.

Jon Jones reveals medical condition

The 38-year-old also revealed that he would qualify for a hip replacement as a result of being diagnosed with arthritis.

Arthritis is a condition causing pain, swelling and stiffness in one or more joints, which can impact a person's mobility. Arthritis is an umbrella term for over 100 related conditions, many of which are chronic diseases.

Jones explained: “My overall health is great, mentally, spiritually, and physically. I feel really good, I'm really happy. Business is going good. My kids are doing great. God's been really good to me.

“I do have arthritis. I was just talking to Joe Rogan the other day, and he was saying that stem cells aren't something you can just take once. It's something that compiles. So you need to go back in and continue getting these injections, and eventually you'll find yourself feeling amazing. So, I'm going to take his advice.

“I am going to get some stem cells and just see how I feel. I'm just taking it one day at a time, really.

“But it's been great, because I have a great team in First Round Management with the Kawa family. These guys really keep me busy, because I don't need to fight anymore. That's a good feeling, to not have the pressure of defending a belt or needing a check.

“My main job now is being face-to-face and giving back to the people who made this thing possible, which are the fans. That's my whole life now, and it's so rewarding to get to know the faces of the people who've been in the stands for all these years.”