Should Jon Jones Be On The White House Card?

Chael Sonnen has sided with Dana White in his refusal to put Jon Jones on UFC The White House event set for June next year.

The comments come after Jones expressed his desire to fight on the card after reversing his retirement which came in June, as Bones reentered the testing pool. Jones’ retirement meant Tom Aspinall was elevated to the heavyweight champion from his interim status, as he defends his belt at UFC 321 in October. White said the chances of Jones fighting on the card were a ‘billion to one.’ While Jones’ other rival, Daniel Cormier, has defended him, Sonnen has taken the opposite approach.

Sonnen Reacts

“Everyone on the roster wants on that card. But it’s not a matter of ‘I’ve done this, I’ve won that’. Jon Jones, for example, ‘I’m the greatest fighter of all-time’. Yeah it’s true, but you didn’t travel the roads. You didn’t set up the ring, take your turn driving the semi-truck. You don’t deserve a reward. But there are some other guys that I think carry some pretty heavy water.

“Alex Pereira comes to mind. Colby Covington I believe is a lock for that card. I’ll remind you. It’s not going to be anyone that’s been retired. No one is going to take those glorious spots, except for the people who earned them. By showing their loyalty back to the industry, to the company…Jon does not deserve to have a main event spot on the White House card,” Sonnen said 

The most glaring reason for White’s stance is the infamous UFC 200 incident. In 2016, Jones was scheduled to headline the promotion’s biggest event at the time in a highly anticipated rematch against his rival Daniel Cormier. Just days before the event, Jones was pulled from the card for a doping violation, throwing the entire show into chaos. This single event cost the UFC millions of dollars.

Jones’ recent retirement after seven months of failed negotiations with Tom Aspinall and his team for a fight only adds to the narrative that he is an unreliable fighter who can’t be depended on to show up on the biggest stage. However, Jones is considered one of the greatest ever, the UFC has a decision to make.