Story byPhoto by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLCDonagh CorbyWed, February 4, 2026 at 2:52 PM UTC·2 min readJon Jones has opened up about a serious health issue that could put an end to his career in the Octagon. The former two-weight UFC champion stepped away from the sport last year, despite having previously agreed to a $30 million bout with Tom Aspinall to unify the heavyweight title. He soon ended his retirement, expressing interest in returning at UFC White House, but those plans were dismissed after Dana White made it clear it wouldn’t happen. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementJones later revealed another reason for his hesitation to return. The topic came up when he was asked about the possibility of facing Daniel Cormier again, this time in a trilogy bout under the RAF Wrestling banner. Jon Jones says he suffers from ‘severe arthritis’ in grim career updatePhoto by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLCJon Jones, often regarded as one of the sport’s all-time greats, has faced legendary opponents across generations, holding titles in both the heavyweight and light-heavyweight divisions.