UFC boss Dana White has repeated his claim that Jon Jones was never lined up to headline the promotion’s upcoming show at the White House.
Jones, who previously held titles in two weight classes, has said several times that he was in discussions to headline the June 14 event.
On Saturday, Jones claimed talks broke down over money. He says he was offered $15 million to fight Alex Pereira but refused to take less than $18 million. The UFC then apparently declined to go above its original offer.
Jon Jones: ‘No one from UFC spoke to me about fighting on the White House card’
Following the event, Dana White addressed Jon Jones’ comments during the aftermath of UFC London.
The UFC CEO stood firm on his stance, repeating that Jones was never considered for the special event.
“Jon Jones was never fighting on the White House card,” White said. “How many f—ing times do I gotta say this? He was never fighting on the White House card.
“I have literally done two press conferences talking about this. These guys [UFC matchmakers] went out, found everything they thought was available and possible, and then I picked the fights.
“There was no way in hell I was putting him on the card, no matter what the money was. Jon Jones was never going to fight on the White House card.”
Jon Jones hints at return to UFC
Dana White has already said publicly that he views Jon Jones as retired from mixed martial arts.
The UFC boss pointed to Jones’ ongoing battle with severe hip arthritis as a key reason behind his comments.
But on Friday, Jones made it clear he still feels competitive while speaking openly about his condition.
“Random thought: Arthritis hurts, it doesn’t make you cripple,” he wrote on X. “I’m still smashing 99.47% of you out there.”
No one knows for sure whether we’ll ever see him back in the Octagon. But what’s clear is that even now, Jon Jones hasn’t lost any confidence in his abilities.
Read more: