The Ultimate Fighting Championship recently unveiled the fight card for its highly anticipated White House event. UFC 326 will feature lightweight champion Ilia Topuria defending his title against Justin Gaethje in the main event, with Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane battling for an interim heavyweight championship in the co-main event.
However, the announcement left many surprised, particularly regarding the absence of former heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who was widely expected to face Alex Pereira. Current heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall voiced his astonishment at this decision.
“What about Jon Jones? I thought Jon Jones was on it. Where has he gone, Jon? I thought they were gonna do Topuria vs. Islam and Pereira vs. Jones,” Aspinall stated via YouTube, reflecting the general expectation among fans and fighters.
Following the card reveal, UFC CEO Dana White confirmed that discussions had taken place with Jon Jones, but clarified that there were no plans to include him in the White House event. White also raised concerns about Jones’ health, specifically mentioning severe arthritis, and suggested it might be time for him to consider ending his fighting career.
Jones has maintained a complex relationship with the UFC throughout his long tenure with the promotion. Last year, he notably withdrew from a potential fight against Tom Aspinall, even after the UFC reportedly agreed to his financial demands, leading to public disagreements.
Jon Jones Issues Strong Message to UFC Amid Exclusion Controversy
Reacting to Dana White’s public comments, Jon Jones expressed his fury in a series of emotionally charged posts on X (formerly Twitter). He revealed his initial excitement for the White House event and felt a sense of betrayal at being excluded.
With over 15 years spent fighting for the UFC, Jones took to social media to deliver a stark warning to the promotion’s leadership.
“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. After everything I’ve given to the UFC, the years, the title defenses, the fights, hearing that I’m ‘done’ is disappointing…If the UFC truly feels like I’m done, then I respectfully ask to be released from my contract today,” Jon Jones declared on X.
Jones clarified that his refusal to participate in the White House event stemmed from a “lowball” financial offer, not his health condition. Tom Aspinall also commented on the situation, echoing Jones’ sentiment and suggesting that a fighter of his legendary status deserves far more substantial compensation from the UFC.
