Jon Jones, a former two-division UFC champion, announced his retirement in June 2025 only to reverse course almost immediately after President Donald Trump revealed plans for a UFC event on the White House lawn.
Jones has fought just twice since 2020, and White openly questioned whether the UFC could rely on him for an event of such magnitude.
“At 205?” White said when asked about a potential Jones vs. Alex Pereira fight. “Yeah, that would be a fight. But can I count on Jon Jones? Can’t have Jon Jones doing something bad or pulling out of the f*cking White House fight.