At the weekend Dana White appeared to rule out the possibility of Jon Jones fighting at an in-the-works UFC: White House event next year, but it seems the former two-division champion hasn’t given up on his dream just yet.
“I can’t risk putting him (Jones) in big positions, in a big spot and have something go wrong,” White told reporters after UFC 318 on Saturday night. “Especially the White House card.”
Jones didn’t directly discuss the potential reasons why White feels that, but did say that he still hopes to fight at the historic event.
“I heard the comments made at last night’s press conference,” Jones wrote on X. “While I was a little disappointed, I’m still in the UFC’s drug testing pool, staying sharp, and continuing to train like a professional. I’ll be ready for whatever comes next.
“In a recent interview, I shared that the opportunity to fight at the White House gave me something deeper to fight for, a “why” that goes beyond paychecks or belts. Fighting for my country gives me a greater purpose!
“The silver lining in all this is knowing the fans see my heart. They see, I am ready and willing to take on anyone, to represent my country on a historic stage. For me, it’s never been just about the opponent. I’m chasing legacy, something timeless, something bigger than the moment. So for now, I’ll keep grinding, stay patient, and stay faithful. I’m ready to fight on July 4th.”
Jones was up until recently the UFC’s heavyweight champion, but vacated the belt and retired last month after deciding not to accept a long-awaited fight with Tom Aspinall, who has since been crowned the new undisputed champion.
Though Jones has since reversed his decision to retire, he is still dealing with an ongoing police investigation after allegedly being involved in another hit-and-run incident earlier this year.
