The pre-White House fighting has begun.
It started Saturday after White announced the fight card for the White House event to be held on June 14. Jones, widely considered the greatest fighter in UFC history, was a notable omission from the card.
White addressed the matter later that night during a press conference after the conclusion of UFC 326.
“Never ever, ever, which I told you guys 100,000 times, was Jon Jones even remotely in my mind to fight at the White House,’ the UFC’s CEO said, adding that Jones is suffering from arthritis of the hips that will keep him from fighting again.
Jones, who is 38 and last fought in November 2024, responded via his X account Monday, March 9.
“My team and I were actually negotiating with the UFC for that fight,’’ Jones wrote. “Real negotiations. I even came down from my original number, and what was I offered in return? I was lowballed.’’
Jones did not cite a specific dollar figure, but he said his team was negotiating as late as Friday.
He also said he received stem cell treatment last week to get ready for the White House card and was scheduled to start training on Monday.
“Yes, I have arthritis in my hip and it’s painful, but that doesn’t mean I can’t fight,’’ Jones said. “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.’’
Jones, a former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion, has a career record of 28-1.
‘I understand business deals fall through sometimes, but going out publicly and saying things that aren’t true isn’t right,” Jones wrote. ‘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.”
Conor McGregor, who lobbied to fight on the White House card, was another notable ommission. White said the UFC is in talks with McGregor but has not selected a fight date.
McGregor, 37, has not fought since July 2021, when he suffered a broken leg in a loss Dustin Poirier.