TLDR
- Jon Jones revealed he has severe arthritis in his left hip that qualifies him for a hip replacement at age 38
- The injury causes excruciating pain and prevents him from wrestling Daniel Cormier in a potential match
- Jones said his last training camp caused so much pain he could barely sleep
- The UFC knows about his arthritis condition but Jones still wants to fight at the White House event in June
- Jones prioritizes spending time with his three-year-old son over pursuing rivalries
Sources: MMA Fighting | Bleacher Report | TMZ
UFC legend Jon Jones has revealed he suffers from severe arthritis in his left hip that qualifies him for a hip replacement at just 38 years old. The injury stems from years of damage during his fighting career and causes him excruciating pain.
Jones made the disclosure in a video that surfaced online where he was speaking with UFC welterweight Joaquin Buckley at a Dirty Boxing event in Houston. He initially didn’t know the conversation was being recorded.
“I have severe arthritis, and most people don’t know that,” Jones said in the video. “My left hip is covered in arthritis. I actually already qualify for a hip replacement.”
The former two-division UFC champion described the intense pain he experienced during his most recent training camp. “My last training camp, dude, I went to bed in so much pain,” he said.
Jon Jones Addresses Health, Reiterates Desire To Fight After Viral Clip | Click to read more 👇 https://t.co/pKyBJIrzHy pic.twitter.com/PsWd5OA5tS
— TMZ Sports (@TMZ_Sports) February 4, 2026
Why Jones Won’t Face Cormier in Wrestling
The revelation came up when Buckley asked Jones about potentially facing his longtime rival Daniel Cormier in a traditional wrestling match. Cormier, a two-time Olympian, has said he would dominate Jones in a wrestling-only competition.
Jones defeated Cormier in both of their UFC fights. However, he now says his hip condition prevents him from accepting any wrestling challenges.
“I have a three-year-old baby boy,” Jones explained. “I want to use what I’ve got left in my hips to play with his ass.”
Jones last fought in 2024 when he finished Stipe Miocic to defend his UFC heavyweight title. He initially retired and gave up the belt after refusing to fight interim champion Tom Aspinall.
Jones Still Wants White House Fight
Despite his health issues, Jones reversed his retirement decision and wants to fight again. He specifically wants to compete at the UFC White House event scheduled for June 14.
“The UFC knows the extent of my arthritis,” Jones told TMZ Sports. “They also know that if I were to put it all on the line one last time and endure that level of pain, the reward would have to be something special and something more than a fat payday.”
Jones has campaigned for a fight against UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira at the historic White House card. However, UFC CEO Dana White has expressed reluctance to book him for the event.
White said he can’t risk putting Jones on such an important card after the fighter backed out of their previous agreement to face Aspinall. “I can’t put Jon Jones in a position where he can [affect this],” White said in November.
Jones acknowledged that many fighters deal with injuries quietly. “Like most fighters, we deal with injuries quietly sometimes and like in my case, for years,” he said. “A lot of us walk around limping most days, paying the ultimate price for our health.”
The UFC has not announced any matchups for the White House card yet. Jones remains a possibility despite White’s concerns about his reliability.
Jones insisted he’s still capable of competing despite his condition. “I’ll still kick 99 percent of your asses out there,” he said. “Still putting up big numbers under the squat rack. Still training. Still outworking most of you … just maybe after a proper warm-up and a good stretch.”
He called his career “one for the ages and nothing short of legendary” whether or not he fights at the White House event. Jones said he’s grateful for all his battle scars and would do it all over again without hesitation.
