TLDR
- Jon Jones says missing the UFC White House card was one of his biggest career regrets
- Jones believes his November 2024 victory over Stipe Miocic may have been his final fight
- He predicts Josh Hokit could defeat Ciryl Gane at UFC 334 but admits Gane’s wins benefit his own legacy
- Jones expressed continued support for protege Gable Steveson after his knockout loss at UFC 331
- The former champion suggested adding more sparring to Steveson’s training moving forward
Sources: sherdog.com | themaclife.com | mmamania.com
Former UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones has shared that missing the promotion’s White House event stands as one of his biggest career regrets. The admission came during a recent interview with The Schmo where Jones discussed several topics including his fighting future and upcoming matchups.
Jones has not fought since defeating Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in November 2024. He expressed satisfaction with that performance as a potential final appearance in the Octagon.
🚨 Jon Jones believes his fight with Stipe Miocic was the final fight of his career, but admits he regrets not fighting at the White House
“I really do believe that was my last moment inside the cage.
There was the White House card… one of the few nights in my career where I… pic.twitter.com/CGdW3pR0OT
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 10, 2026
“I really do believe that was my last moment inside the cage – and it was great,” Jones said. “I got to fight, my brother was still alive at the time, my father was there. I got to tell the world that I love Jesus, and that will never change.”
Despite his contentment with how that fight went, Jones acknowledged deep disappointment about the White House card. “That was one of the few nights in my career where I just was thinking, ‘I should have been there.’ I usually don’t regret decisions, but that was one of my big regrets in life, not being a part of the White House,” he stated.
Jones claimed his representatives had been in negotiations for a potential appearance at UFC Freedom 250. However, UFC CEO Dana White maintained that the former champion had never been under consideration for the card.
Jones Makes Prediction for UFC 334 Title Fight
During the same interview, Jones discussed the upcoming heavyweight title fight at UFC 334. Ciryl Gane will defend his title against undefeated Josh Hokit on November 14 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Gane holds a 14-2 record while Hokit enters the fight unbeaten at 10-0. Jones submitted Gane to win the heavyweight title back in 2023.
“Josh looks great right now,” Jones told The Schmo. “He’s doing a great job; Obviously, he’s coached by some of the best in the world. I’ve always supported wrestlers and backed wrestlers.”
Jones predicted that Hokit could win but admitted conflicted feelings about the matchup. “I believe Hokit very well could win, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that it doesn’t make our brand look great when Ciryl Gane beats people. So, may the best man win,” he explained.
Hokit trains at Jackson-Wink MMA, the same gym where Jones trained for much of his career. This connection explains part of Jones’ support for the challenger.
Former Champion Expresses Support for Gable Steveson
Jones also addressed the recent knockout loss suffered by his protege Gable Steveson. Steveson was shocked by Sean Sharaf at UFC 331 after winning his first four professional MMA fights.
“Gable’s doing really, really awesome,” Jones said. “I believe in Gable. I believe in the man and the person that he is.”
Jones praised Steveson’s character and family life. “He deserves good things. He does all the right things. He’s an awesome father and an awesome husband and a great son,” Jones stated.
The former champion compared Steveson’s setback to losses by other great fighters. “All the great fighters have had knockouts and losses. I mean, GSP vs. Matt Serra. There’s just so many examples,” Jones noted.
Jones suggested changes to their training approach moving forward. “I feel like, as a team, we need to add a lot more sparring, and we have our little things that we can work on as a team, but he’s in great hands,” he said.
Steveson, an Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling, signed with UFC after brief stints in the NFL and WWE. He won his first three MMA fights by first-round TKO before signing with the promotion.
