All is not well between Dana White and Jon Jones. The UFC head honcho has been more than upset with ‘Bones’ for choosing retirement without facing Tom Aspinall. Since “the greatest heavyweight fight ever” couldn’t be made, White decided to pay it back in his own way—by making it harder for the former heavyweight champion to headline next year’s White House spectacle, despite Jones already entering the testing pool.
At the UFC 319 post-fight presser, things took an even more interesting turn. When asked if he’d like to see Jones perform at the event, Dana responded in a stern tone, “I already said that I don’t trust him.” He avoided going into detail but added, “I would not bet on him. If I had to make odds, it’s a billion to one that I put Jon Jones on the White House card.” The words may sound discouraging, but Jones didn’t take them that way.
Jon Jones is still optimistic about the White House event
After hearing Dana’s comments, Jones took to X and wrote, “Despite the odds, I’m still training and optimistic about the possibility of being part of the White House event. At the end of the day, Dana is the boss, and it’s his call whether I compete that night or not. I do know Dana was really excited about the fight, and the door hasn’t been completely closed. That’s all a guy like me really needs.”
Despite the odds, I’m still training and optimistic about the possibility of being part of the White House event. At the end of the day, Dana is the boss and it’s his call whether I compete that night or not. I do know Dana was really excited about the fight, and the door hasn’t…
— Jonny Meat (@JonnyBones) August 18, 2025
It’s hard to imagine White fully shutting the door on Jones’ return, especially with the event still a year away. That’s plenty of time for things to change. For Jones, even entertaining the idea of headlining the coveted event or ‘America 250’ as Trump has called it, is inspiring in itself. It was the sole reason he called off retirement, so he is staying put.
“It sounds like another awesome goal to be inspired by. Sometimes in life, we’re not going to reach everything we set out to do, and that’s okay. But I like my chances… after all, one in a billion is exactly what it took to end up as Jon ‘Bones’ Jones in the first place,” Bones added.
Dana being upset with Jones is understandable. The troubled past record outside the Octagon, including multiple suspensions, haven’t exactly been favorable in holding White’s trust. The head honcho even says he’d rather trust Connor McGregor — who hasn’t fought in over four years — to show up than he does Jones. But has he truly lost interest in his return? Only time will tell when the event gets closer. White is still in the process of mapping out the specifics for the event.
But to complicate matters further, Tom Aspinall has already made it clear he’s not interested in facing Jon Jones at the White House spectacle.
Tom Aspinall is not interested in fighting Bones
Tom Aspinall, after waiting more than a year for his shot at Jon Jones, finally got the chance to hold the belt. Not the way he imagined, but at least he got it. Just like that, the momentum in the heavyweight division started to restore as the Brit quickly agreed to face a tough contender like Ciryl Gane at UFC 321.
Although it remains to be seen who walks out victorious from the Abu Dhabi card, Aspinall was asked whether he still holds any interest in fighting Jon Jones. The heavyweight champion told the Uncrowned Podcast, “It has spent zero seconds in my mind. Not interested, and the world shouldn’t be interested either, because what’s the point? False hope? It’s just boring. It’s just so boring. I don’t even have a comment on it.” From the way he put it, the British juggernaut seems to have completely moved on from one of the most anticipated heavyweight fights in recent memory.
That said, with the UFC White House event set to kick off under the Paramount and CBS era next year, the promotion could still dangle a lucrative deal to make things happen. If that’s the case, would it be enough to pull Jones and Aspinall back into talks? More importantly, would Dana White and the fans even want it anymore?
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