Dana White Rules Out Jon Jones for White House Event
UFC CEO Dana White has made it clear that he has no intention of including Jon Jones in the event proposed by the promotion at the White House in 2026, despite the fighter’s interest.
Jones, 38, retired from mixed martial arts (MMA) in June, instead of accepting a UFC heavyweight title unification fight against interim champion Tom Aspinall. However, weeks after his retirement, Jones announced his return, citing the UFC’s plans to host an event at the White House as the reason.
Despite Jones’s desire to participate on the card, White practically ruled out the idea on Saturday.
“I wouldn’t bet on it,” White said during the post-fight press conference for UFC 319 in Chicago. “If I had to put odds on it, it would be a billion to one that Jon Jones is on the White House card.”
White has cited Jones’s unreliability as the reason for excluding him from the event. Jones is widely regarded as the best MMA fighter of all time, but he has been involved in some legal troubles outside of competition. The UFC was forced to strip Jones of his title on multiple occasions, including in 2015, when he was arrested and charged with a felony hit-and-run in New Mexico. He is currently facing criminal charges for allegedly leaving the scene of an accident in February.
In 2016, the UFC made significant changes to its UFC 200 event in Las Vegas when Jones was flagged for a potential doping violation the week of the event. He was suspended for a year due to the violation.
Several renowned UFC fighters have expressed interest in the White House card, which White has said will take place on July 4th in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States. Conor McGregor, who has not fought since 2021, is included in that list. White has said he will not begin to think about who will be on the card until next year, but does not anticipate adding Jones.
Despite this, Jones has re-entered the UFC’s mandatory drug testing program and has said he will be ready for the July 4th date.
