March 5, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; UFC fighter Jon Jones in attendance during UFC 196 at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

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Jon Jones’ Retirement Sparks Historic Occurence The Sport Hasn’t Witnessed Since 2004

WIth Jon Jones retiring from the sport this weekend, there are currently no male UFC champions in the organisation!

March 5, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; UFC fighter Jon Jones in attendance during UFC 196 at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Jon Jones hanging up his gloves has created something nobody saw coming. His retirement didn’t just end one of the most controversial careers in UFC history, it triggered a first that hasn’t happened in over 20 years. When Jones walked away from his heavyweight title, he left behind more than just his belt. He accidentally created a piece of UFC history that shows just how much the sport has changed since its early days.

American dominance in the UFC used to be a given. Back in the early 2000s, fans could count on American fighters holding most of the belts. The sport was still young, and homegrown talent ruled the octagon across multiple weight classes. Chuck Liddell was knocking people out at light heavyweight, Matt Hughes dominated welterweight, and fighters from the United States seemed unstoppable. But times change, and the global nature of mixed martial arts has shifted dramatically over the past two decades.

No American Men Hold UFC Gold For First Time Since 2004

For the first time since 2004, there are no American male champions in the UFC. Back in 2004, the promotion only had four active divisions, so having no American champs was easier to achieve. Now, with way more weight classes and titles up for grabs, this situation feels almost impossible.

Tom Aspinall from England now holds the heavyweight belt that Jones left behind. Magomed Ankalaev from Russia holds the light heavyweight belt. Dricus Du Plessis from South Africa holds the middleweight belt. Australia’s Jack Della Maddalena sits atop the welterweight throne. Islam Makhachev from Russia rules the lightweight division with an iron fist. Australian Alexander Volkanovski has the featherweight belt. The bantamweight belt is held by Georgian Merab Dvalishvili. And finally, the flyweight belt belongs to Brazil’s Alexandre Pantoja.

With Jon Jones' retirement, there are currently no American male champions in the #UFC. First time since 2004 (with just four active divisions) that's been the case.
— Jay Pettry (@jaypettry) June 21, 2025

Only one American fighter currently wears UFC gold, and that’s Kayla Harrison in the women’s bantamweight division. She’s literally carrying the entire weight of American championship representation on her shoulders right now. This championship drought for American men didn’t happen overnight. Russian fighters have been steadily climbing the ranks for years now. Khabib Nurmagomedov paved the way with his undefeated run and dominant championship reign. His influence helped create a pipeline of Russian talent that continues to flow into the UFC today

Brazilian fighters have been part of the UFC’s DNA since the beginning, with legends like Royce Gracie showing the world what Brazilian jiu-jitsu could do. Meanwhile, Georgian fighters have exploded onto the scene in recent years, bringing elite grappling and athletic ability that’s hard to match. Jones’ retirement might have triggered this historic moment, but it was years in the making. The UFC truly belongs to the world now, and American fighters will need to step up their game to reclaim their spot at the top.

(Image Credit: Mark J. Rebilas – Imagn Images)

Jon Jones

UFC

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!