Jon Jones ‘Won’t’ Fight On White House Card

Dana White has thrown a bombshell, stating that Jon Jones fighting at the UFC’s upcoming White House event in 2026 is a no-go. 

This is despite growing speculation over a potential comeback for the former heavyweight champion, who recently said he was back in the testing pool. Jones confirmed his retirement recently following his heavyweight title defense against Stipe Miocic. He had long been linked with a fight against Tom Aspinall.

White was confident the fight would get made, only for Jones to retire. However, Bones has said he wants to fight on the card against the current champion, who is Aspinall. But given that this is likely to be White’s biggest card, the UFC CEO is intent on ensuring it goes ahead without any hiccups. Jones has unfortunately developed a reputation for getting into legal trouble, the most recent of which was a misdemeanour charge for allegedly leaving the scene of an accident.

“It’s not even about him winning the belt. You know how I felt about him. I just can’t risk putting him in big positions in a big spot and have something go wrong, especially the White House card. That fight’s a year away. So I’m not thinking about anything right now. The landscape will change so much by next 4th of July, who knows what’s going to happen. Who knows who’s going to be on the card. What the main event will be or who will hold all the titles. Everything could be completely different so it’s not even worth thinking about it right now,” White said

Jones Reacts

The news has not gone down well with Jones, who was disappointed. 

“I heard the comments made at last night’s press conference. While I was a little disappointed, I’m still in the UFC’s drug testing pool, staying sharp, and continuing to train like a professional. I’ll be ready for whatever comes next. In a recent interview, I shared that the opportunity to fight at the White House gave me something deeper to fight for, a “why” that goes beyond paychecks or belts.

“Fighting for my country gives me a greater purpose! The silver lining in all this is knowing the fans see my heart. They see, I am ready and willing to take on anyone, to represent my country on a historic stage. For me, it’s never been just about the opponent. I’m chasing legacy, something timeless, something bigger than the moment. So for now, I’ll keep grinding, stay patient, and stay faithful. I’m ready to fight on July 4th,” Jones stated