Jon Jones raging: Dana White is lying

Dispute over negotiations

A potential UFC event at the White House has turned into a public disagreement between Jon Jones and UFC president Dana White.

According to Sports.ru, the fight card for the planned summer event was presented during UFC 326. Many fans expected former champion Jon Jones to return to the Octagon, possibly in a fight against Alex Pereira.

However, Jones’ name was not included on the announced card.

Dana White said that the promotion had not even negotiated with Jones about appearing at the event.

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"Which fight fell off the White House card? It doesn’t matter. There were strange circumstances that I don’t think are worth discussing. Jones? No. There was never even a hint that Jones would appear at the White House."

White also pointed to Jones’ health, saying the fighter suffers from hip arthritis and may eventually need surgery.

Jon Jones rejects Dana White’s claims

Jon Jones quickly pushed back against White’s comments on social media.

According to Jones, his team had in fact been negotiating with the UFC about a possible fight at the White House event.

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"So all those negotiations were nonsense? Do you want me to publicly admit that? Was I fired from the UFC?!"

Jones previously explained that he has been dealing with severe hip pain but was still willing to fight in what he viewed as a special event.

"I went to bed in unbearable pain the last time I was in training camp. I have a three year old son, and I want to preserve what’s left of my hips so I can play with him."

Payment dispute stopped the deal

In a longer statement posted later, Jon Jones asked the UFC to release him from his contract.

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According to Jones, his team held serious talks with the promotion, and he even reduced his original financial demands in an attempt to make the fight happen.

However, he said the final offer from the UFC was far too low for him to accept.

Jones also said he had recently undergone stem cell treatment to prepare for a potential training camp ahead of the fight.

"Yes, I have arthritis in my hip. It hurts, but that doesn’t mean I can’t fight."

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Journalist says talks did take place

MMA journalist Ariel Helwani also said negotiations had in fact happened.

According to Helwani’s reporting, both sides discussed the possibility of a fight but were unable to reach an agreement.

"Whatever the case, Jones is 100 percent right. They really did hold negotiations. They simply could not reach a deal."

Helwani said the discussions ultimately collapsed over financial terms, which may explain the public disagreement between Jones and UFC leadership.

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Background to the growing tension

The dispute comes after a longer period of tension between Jon Jones and the UFC.

According to earlier reporting from Sports.ru, disagreements had already surfaced in 2025 after a planned title fight against Tom Aspinall collapsed. That situation reportedly damaged trust between Jones and the promotion.

The proposed White House event was widely discussed as a potentially historic UFC show, and Jones had publicly expressed interest in competing there when the idea was first mentioned.

The latest conflict now raises questions about whether Jon Jones will fight in the UFC again.

Sources: Sports.ru