Dana White says Jon Jones has 'a billion to one' chance of being on White House event, Jones responds

Former two-division UFC champion and widely considered the mixed martial arts GOAT Jon Jones wants to fight on next year's planned UFC fight card on the White House grounds, but UFC CEO Dana White all but shut the door on that happening. 

In late June, Jones relinquished his heavyweight championship and announced his retirement from fighting. Two weeks later, he came out of retirement after President Donald Trump announced plans to host a UFC event on the White House grounds on next year's Independence Day. 

"I can't risk putting him (Jones) in big positions, in a big spot and have something go wrong," said White during the UFC 318 Post-Fight Press Conference on July 19. "Especially the White House card."

At the UFC 319 Post-Fight Press Conference last Saturday, White essentially said that the chances of Jones competing on the White House fight card are astronomical.

"I would not bet on - If I had to make odds, it's a billion to won that I put Jon Jones on the White House card," White said.

After hearing White's comment, Jones responded optimistically on social media. 

"Despite the odds, I’m still training and optimistic about the possibility of being part of the White House event. At the end of the day, Dana is the boss and it’s his call whether I compete that night or not. I do know Dana was really excited about the fight, and the door hasn’t been completely closed. That’s all a guy like me really needs," Jones wrote on X.  

"It sounds like another awesome goal to be inspired by. Sometimes in life, we’re not going to reach everything we set out to do and that’s okay. But I like my chances… after all, one in a billion is exactly what it took to end up as Jon ‘Bones’ Jones in the first place."