Jon Jones Keeps Hopes High Despite Dana White’s Brutal Response to UFC White House Card
Jon Jones explains why he's still in for the UFC's non-White House PPV card after Dana White shut down a headliner that relied solely on him.

Jon Jones clarifies return after Dana White shuts White House PPV headliner (Source: X)
🔍 Explore this post with:
Ex-UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champ Jon Jones was poised with a query about a potential ‘Plan B’ on his planned Octagon walk-back. Why is that so? Because UFC CEO Dana White isn’t confident that he will make the cut for the highly-anticipated UFC White House card.
Jon Jones shocked the fight clique and fans by hanging it up when it looked like a massive PPV unification bout was all but set. Brit heavyweight and then-interim champion Tom Aspinall got to be the default undisputed champ, and “Bones” went his merry way.
Days removed from that, POTUS Donald Trump shocked the world with a White House PPV concept card announcement for 2026. Just two weeks after his MMA retirement, ‘Bones’ again looped back into the DFSI testing pool.
Such a move would necessitate 6 months of tests before athletic commissions deemed him fit to fight on such a card again. With the possibility of a White House PPV bout, Jones may yet return in 2026. However, on Saturday, Dana White hinted Jones’ return might not be for the South Lawn extravaganza. This prompted a hopeful reply from the ex-heavyweight title holder.
Yeah, yeah…that’s the goal [to fight] No, …we haven’t had a conversation yet, but I got a very strong feeling that I’ll be fighting right now for sure…I don’t think so [fighting at White House], …but right now it’s hard to say. I’m just gonna focus on staying focused, getting in the best shape and continuing to nail all the business that I already have on the table…
Jon Jones said (🎥: @TMZ_Sports)
‘Bones’ had garnered some pent-up hopes about fighting in the White House. He even doubled down while he thinks he’d make the cut and fight soon, that global fight would be his one-and-done scrapper. However, the UFC boss didn’t say yes to the prospect, and with Jones log jamming the heavyweight division for so long, fans jumped at it.
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.
— Jonny Meat (@JonnyBones) July 20, 2025
In a recent interview, I shared that the…
That’s actually not what he said, he said he can’t afford for anything to go wrong. Which is understandable, it’s hard to commit to any athletes literally still a year out. Let’s not twist words, my entire career has been a main event. https://t.co/eiIvVn2wtb
— Jonny Meat (@JonnyBones) July 20, 2025
Jones articulated a sense of ‘disappointment’ in his response to White’s statements on social media. He even hopped onto X to vehemently defend that the UFC CEO said it’s tough to commit to a single athlete in a year’s time, not diss on him particularly. He thinks his return is still imminent, even if not for the White House card.
Jon Jones says he’s got a ‘very strong feeling’ he’ll fight at the White House next year 👀
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 20, 2025
🎥 @TMZ_Sportspic.twitter.com/1d71yo5drc
For now, amid all the turmoil, Jones has said he’d be ready for a combat sports return. After much stalling out, he was even ready to face Aspinall. The UK native is projected to make his first title defense of the undisputed gold sometime later this year, possibly against a big fan-favorite.
Dana White no-goes White House dream fight and explains issues with former champ Jon Jones
Jon Jones recently announced his plans to challenge the current UFC heavyweight titleholder when he sheds ring rust in 2026. It’d make sense too for the ‘America 250 Celebration’ on next July 4. The ‘Independence’ treaty did ratify a deal to get out from the monarch’s rule of King George III. A USA vs. UK matchup made more sense than, say, Ireland’s Conor McGregor.

A 7+ month PPV compensation hassle aside, though, Jones has had numerous legal run-ins, DUIs, and such blemishes in his run. The Albuquerque resident was recently embroiled in an alleged misdemeanor and threatening PSA Agents.
Even before that, ‘Bones’ has had hit-and-run, got caught on anabolic steroids, and allegedly made violent passes at DFSI drug test pool agent Crystal Martinez in a Bernalillo County (New Mexico) court arraignment.
Dana White had named Jones vs. Aspinall as his go-to PPV main event for a White House card in 2026. However, following UFC 318 PPV, the UFC head regressed on chipping it all in on someone who recently walked back on a done deal.
It’s not even about him [returning or him] winning the belt, …You know how I felt about him. You know I can’t risk putting him in big positions in a big spot and have something go wrong – especially the White House card.
Dana White during UFC 318 PPV post-fight backstage fighter interviews
Dana White just shut down Jon Jones’ dream of fighting at the White House 😬
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) July 20, 2025
“I can’t risk putting him in big positions, in a big spot and have something go wrong. Especially the White House card.” pic.twitter.com/JgNNAVpapV
In June, ‘Bones’ made his boss angry when he decided to retire from MMA after having previously agreed to PPV title unification. White once termed him a punk for doing much the same and refusing fights over and over. He even took three years out to shift to 265 pounds, only to have 2 ballot fights in five years. As such, Jones fighting on the White House main event is too big a risk for everyone involved.
Also Read:
- Complaints Pile Against Jon Jones as Heavyweight Champion Stalls Entire Division
- Jon Jones Reveals Dana White Hiding ‘Plans’ From Fans About Heavyweight Super Fight