Former UFC two-division champion Jon Jones isn’t happy about his absence from the promotion’s upcoming White House trip.
“Freedom Fights 250,” UFC’s upcoming card at the White House in Washington, D.C., had its six-bout lineup revealed last weekend, including an interim heavyweight title fight between Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane.
The card was without Jones, who, it was reported in recent weeks, was negotiating an appearance on the card.
Frustrated about not being on the card, Jones issued a lengthy statement to social media platform X on Monday afternoon, claiming that negotiations with the promotion fell apart after he was “lowballed.”
The statement touched on his willingness to begin training and recent issues with arthritis in his hip. Here’s the full post:
Hey everyone, I wanted to address Dana White’s comments from this past weekend, because the truth matters to me and the fans.
Dana, you were heated about why I’m not on the White House card, but let’s clear something up. My team and I were actually negotiating with the UFC for that fight. Real negotiations. I even came down from my original number, and what was I offered in return ? I was lowballed .Yes, I have arthritis in my hip and it’s painful, but that doesn’t mean I can’t fight.
So let me get this straight, if I had accepted the lowball offer, suddenly my hip would be fine and I’d be on the White House card? That doesn’t make sense.I even received stem cell treatment last week to get ready for the White House card, and training camp was scheduled to start today. I was preparing to be ready.
I understand business deals fall through sometimes, but going out publicly and saying things that aren’t true isn’t right.
After everything I’ve given to the UFC , the years, the title defenses, the fights , hearing that I’m “done” is disappointing. Especially when as recently as Friday UFC was calling me trying to get me on that White House card for a much lower number.
If the UFC truly feels like I’m done, then I respectfully ask to be released from my contract today.
No more spins, no more games.
Thank you to the real fans who know what’s up.
Bones out.
UFC CEO Dana White recently said that Jones had started “rumors” about fighting on the upcoming card, stating he was “[never] even remotely in my mind to fight at the White House.”
However, despite saying he had no plans for Jones to be on the card, White couldn’t deny that there were any negotiations: “I never said that there were no negotiations,” he later commented. It was previously reported by Ariel Helwani that Jones had, in fact, been in talks over an appearance on the card.
38-year-old Jones retired from MMA last summer, relinquishing his UFC Heavyweight Championship in the process. However, shortly after he said he was stepping away from the sport, “Bones” was drawn back in by the opportunity of competing on a show at the White House.
His last matchup dates back to November 2024, when he took down former heavyweight champ Stipe Miocic via third-round stoppage.
