TLDR
- Jon Jones announced retirement in early 2025 after vacating his heavyweight title
- Jones reversed retirement plans and rejoined testing pool after White House UFC card announcement for summer 2026
- Dana White refuses to allow Jones on the historic card, citing trust issues from Jones backing out of Tom Aspinall fight
- UFC had a verbal agreement with Jones to fight Aspinall, but Jones declined despite being offered $30 million
- Conor McGregor and Islam Makhachev are potential fighters for the White House event scheduled for June 2026
Jon Jones will not compete on the UFC’s planned White House card in June 2026, according to UFC CEO Dana White. The decision comes after Jones backed out of a previously agreed fight with Tom Aspinall.
Jones announced his retirement from MMA in early 2025 after defending his heavyweight title just once. He vacated the championship at age 38. The former champion had faced pressure to fight Aspinall, who won the interim heavyweight championship in November 2023.
The retirement lasted only days. President Donald Trump announced the White House would host a UFC card next summer. Jones immediately rejoined the UFC testing pool and expressed interest in competing on the historic card.
White explained his decision during the press conference after Max Holloway defeated Dustin Poirier. He stated he cannot risk putting Jones in such a high-profile position. White specifically mentioned concerns about something going wrong at the White House event.
Trust Issues With Jones
The UFC boss referenced Jones’s history of controversies that forced him to pull out of major fights. White revealed the UFC had a verbal agreement with Jones to fight Aspinall. Jones was offered $30 million for the bout but declined anyway.
Jones later admitted he handled the Aspinall situation poorly. He requested a face-to-face meeting with White to apologize. White responded that Jones does not need to apologize and still considers him the greatest fighter of all time.
Despite the praise, White remains firm on his decision. He told comedian Andrew Schultz’s podcast that he cannot put Jones in a position to impact the June 2026 card. White needs someone reliable for such an important event.
White House Card Alternatives
White expressed confidence in Conor McGregor as a potential fighter for the card. He praised McGregor’s reliability despite criticism from others. White noted that McGregor accepts any opponent without hesitation when fight week arrives.
McGregor’s coach John Kavanagh confirmed they are training as if the White House fight is confirmed. Kavanagh stated McGregor is back in the gym most mornings. The Irish fighter has been preparing since the announcement.
Islam Makhachev also expressed interest after becoming a two-division champion at UFC 322. He defeated Jack Della Maddalena to win the welterweight title. White said he is open to Makhachev’s inclusion on the card.
White confirmed the event will not follow an “America vs. the world” theme. He plans to assemble what people expect at the White House. UFC officials will begin outlining the card lineup in February 2026.
White stated that Ciryl Gane and Tom Aspinall must fight again first. The winner of that bout could face Jones if he returns. However, White has described Jones as retired in recent statements.
