Jon Jones thought he had all the chips when he announced his retirement — possibly believing that he was done fighting. Tom Aspinall’s presence atop the heavyweight division seemed like enough motivation for him to end his career on a “high.” But then Donald Trump announced a UFC event at the White House in 2026, and just like that, Jon Jones announced that he’d come back from retirement for that fight.
Of course, Dana White wasn’t buying it. The UFC head honcho, now with seemingly all the chips in his favor, probably tired from all the shenanigans of the former 2-weight UFC champion, shut that possibility down. It was like an UNO reverse card no one saw coming.
“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.”, White said at the UFC 318 press conference. What’s more? Aspinall has been booked against Ciryl Gane for this year’s marquee UFC event. So where does that leave Jones?
Taking to Instagram, ‘Bones’ shared a picture of himself and one of his close friends and his child, standing in front of a black Cadillac Escalade. In the caption, Jon Jones wrote, “Feeling good right now. There’s nothing like being able to share the love and the fruits of your labor with the people who stand beside you. I was blessed with the chance to be a blessing to my brother Scooby and gifted him my Escalade today.”
He continued, “For the last five years, Scooby has never once hesitated to say yes when I asked him to ride with me to serve our community. Whether it was handing out winter clothes, delivering school supplies, serving meals, etc. he’s always shown up. It felt amazing blessing someone who’s given so much to others. Scooby’s a solid man with a heart for the community, and I’m just grateful to have people like him in my life. God is awesome.”
Even though Dana White wasn’t up for bringing Jones into the White House card, the former heavyweight champion remained optimistic. He took to X and shared a long text filled with disappointment and hope. Let’s see what he wrote.
Despite Dana White’s refusal, Jon Jones remains hopeful for a fight at the White House
After coming across White’s words at the UFC 318 post-fight press conference, Jones, through the X post, stated, “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 Albuquerque resident continued, “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.”
According to Michael Bisping, Jones and Conor McGregor are two of the biggest names that the UFC can bring into the White House card. And both of them have shown quite some interest in doing so. But in the end, the decision lies with Dana White and Co. Do you think Jones can actually make his way to a fight at the White House?
The post Jon Jones Turns to Community Work as Dana White Books Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane After White House Snub appeared first on EssentiallySports.
