Is Jon Jones fighting on the UFC White House event?

One of the most decorated combat sports athletes in history, former two-weight UFC champion Jon Jones has not fought since November of 2024.

On that night at UFC 309 Jones defeated Stipe Miocic to retain his heavyweight title, landing a stunning spinning back kick in the third round before finishing the former champion off with a barrage of punches.

That victory appeared to set in motion a long-awaited clash between Jones and the then-interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall.

Ultimately a fight between the pair would not come to fruition, though not for a lack of trying on the UFC's part.

Jones admitted he had little interest in fighting Aspinall, and was even offered a reported $30million (£22.3m) to face the Briton inside the Octagon.

The 38-year-old subsequently vacated his title citing a lack of motivation to fight Aspinall, and set his sights on competing at the landmark UFC Freedom 250 card at the White House this summer.

White House fight offered

With such massive expectations surrounding such a historic event the likes of Jones and Conor McGregor were frequently linked with the White House card.

The heavyweight division is currently at an impasse with Aspinall's return to competition still a matter of if and not when after he suffered a serious eye injury defending his title against Ciryl Gane in October.

With the champion unavailable, rumours began to circulate that the UFC could look to book Jones against two-weight world champion Alex Pereira in a marquee matchup worthy of such an occasion.

Ultimately though when the fight card was unveiled by the UFC earlier this year Jones was not included, with Pereira instead fighting Gane for the vacant title.

UFC president Dana White later publicly claimed that Jones had not even been considered for Freedom 250 given his controversial past, and insisted that talks between the two parties had not taken place.

Jones later refuted these claims however, alleging that negotiations were underway but that a deal could not be reached as he felt he was being 'lowballed'.

"Dana, you were heated about why I'm not on the White House card, but let's clear something up," Jones wrote on X.

"My team and I were actually negotiating with the UFC for that fight. Real negotiations. I even came down from my original number, and what was I offered in return? I was lowballed.

"If the UFC truly feels like I'm done, then I respectfully ask to be released from my contract today."

At the time of writing Jones remains part of the UFC roster, though it remains unclear whether he will ever grace the Octagon again.

Despite not featuring at the White House, Jones is expected to be in attendance when the UFC returns to Las Vegas for International Fight Week on 11 July.

That is because he serves as a mentor/coach for burgeoning MMA prospect and Olympic freestyle wrestling gold medallist Gable Steveson.

Jones will likely be in Steveson's corner as the heavyweight takes on Elisha Ellison in his promotional debut on the undercard of Conor McGregor's return against Max Holloway.