Ex-UFC champ reveals how Jon Jones stretched Dana White’s trust amid Tom Aspinall saga

White did not wait too long to respond to Jones’ U-turn, and it was not what the 38-year-old wanted to hear.

The UFC president turned down his request, labelling him as too unpredictable for such a significant event.

Speaking on his MMArcade Podcast, former middleweight titleholder Robert Whittaker said Jones is dealing with the fallout from how he handled the Tom Aspinall situation.

“Jones, I feel like he got ahead of himself. He understands his value and worth to the company, and he really pushed the envelope as far as he could take it.

“That whole length of time of inactivity, and holding up the division, and keeping Aspinall on the sidelines, it was a bit much. Not only that…the way he was acting about it, the way he was saying what he was doing – he was flaunting the power he had.

“I think that’s where he stretched the trust factor with the bosses.”

Aspinall spent over a year waiting as interim UFC heavyweight champion, but Jones refused to unify their titles. Instead, he fought Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 before stepping away from the sport.

Daniel Cormier wants Dana White to reconsider Jon Jones’ White House snub

While many have backed White’s decision to leave Jones out of the UFC’s planned event at the White House, Daniel Cormier has taken a different view.

Cormier, who had one of the most intense rivalries in UFC history with Jones and was personally affected by his issues, including a failed drug test that cancelled their fight at UFC 200, still believes the 38-year-old should be given another shot.

Despite their history and his own experiences dealing with the fallout from Jones’ actions, Cormier told fans on his YouTube channel that he would still allow him to compete at the Independence Day event.

“Dana seems more stern in not letting him today than I have ever seen him in regards to Jon Jones.

“And if I’m being completely honest, I don’t know that I agree. I think I would let him fight.”