Jones says he won't fight for rest of 2021

Jon Jones won't be returning to the Octagon in the near future.

The former UFC light heavyweight champion, who hasn't fought since February 2020, tweeted Tuesday that he is planning to sit out for the rest of the year and come back to the sport in 2022.

Last summer, Jones vacated the 205-pound title and announced he was moving up to the heavyweight division. However, the process of becoming a heavyweight has been tougher and more intensive than the 33-year-old expected.

Jones has been at odds with the UFC and its president, Dana White, in recent months. He was originally expected to challenge for the heavyweight title against the winner of Stipe Miocic versus Francis Ngannou later in 2021, but the promotion was unwilling to meet Jones' price and moved on from that matchup - and the idea of Jones competing altogether.

White said last week that it's up to Jones if he wants to fight again, adding, "There's nothing wrong with going out on top either."

In his last fight, Jones beat Dominick Reyes by controversial decision to record his third straight title defense at 205 pounds. "Bones" is ranked the No. 1 men's pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC.