Jon Jones has taken a key step towards UFC return after short-lived retirement, says Dana White

Dana White has promised that the upcoming event at the White House will be one of the biggest in UFC history.

He also mentioned that his ideal headliner for the card would be Jon Jones versus Tom Aspinall.

That matchup – which has been expected to happen since 2023 – is now a real possibility, with Jones having re-entered the UFC drug testing pool.

The UFC boss confirmed: “He jumped back in the pool.”

White added when asked if that was official: “Oh yeah.”

Jon Jones shares why he changed his mind about retirement

On Thursday, Jones took to social media to address fans about his surprising decision to back off from retirement.

He also said he does not care who he might face on the UFC White House card. This comes after accusations that he was dodging a bout with Tom Aspinall, the newly crowned undisputed heavyweight champion.

“Donald made his announcement on the morning of the Fourth of July, I called the UFC headquarters that very same afternoon,” he said in one of his many tweets. “I’ll just leave it at that. America! Now that tickles my pickle.”

Later on, when responding to a fan who predicted an all-time classic fight, Jones said: “It would be, for me it’s about the opportunity to represent America at the White House. I don’t care who I fight that night. I found my reason why, that’s what I needed, something that was more than money.”