Chicago — Sorry, fight fans, but it doesn’t look like Jon Jones will be fighting at the White House next year.
Jones, who retired and relinquished his heavyweight title earlier this summer rather than accept a fight with interim champ Tom Aspinall, recently returned to the UFC’s drug testing pool, expressing interest in fighting at the event in the nation’s capital.
UFC President and CEO Dana White, however, remained cool on the idea while speaking with media outlets including Cageside Press following UFC 319 at the United Center in Chicago on Saturday.
Asked if there was anything Jones could do to earn White’s trust — “Bones” has endured scandal after scandal, faced multiple criminal charges, and been stripped of UFC titles on three separate occasions — White turned the question around on the reporter who asked it.
“Let me ask you: What do you think Jon could do in the next couple of months that would make me trust putting him on the White House card?”
After getting the reporter who originally asked the question to admit that even he didn’t trust Jones, White added “I would not bet on— if I had to make odds, it’s a billion to one that I put Jon Jones on the White House card.”
The odds might be slightly better that Khamzat Chimaev fights in Abu Dhabi later this year. Chimaev dominated Dricus Du Plessis to claim the promotion’s middleweight title in Saturday’s main event. He’s repeatedly expressed a desire to join the October card, which already features Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane for heavyweight gold.
“I just had a kid fight Tuesday, and he wanted to turn around and come here [Baisangur Susurkaev]. Abu Dhabi I would absolutely consider,” White replied when asked about Chimaev making the relatively quick turnaround.
White also reflected on the story of Joseph Morales, who was cut from the UFC in 2019 only to work his way back to a spot on The Ultimate Fighter 33 this year. He won the show at flyweight on Saturday, upsetting the heavy favorite, Alibi Idiris.
“Great story. What the kid has accomplished after, I wouldn’t call him down and out but the position he was in, and to come back and win this, it’s incredible. I love stories like that,” stated White.
Watch the full UFC 319 post-fight press conference with Dana White above.
