At the post-UFC 318 press conference, the topics were supposed to be Dustin Poirier 's retirement or Max Holloway 's next steps . However, what caught everyone's attention was the UFC White House . Dana White decided to be upfront and revealed that he doesn't intend to have Jon Jones at what he considers the biggest event in UFC history. However, the former champion didn't quite see it that way.
The statement reverberated on social media, and a fan provoked Jones in a post on 'X' (formerly Twitter), saying that Dana White no longer trusts him to be the main attraction at events.
“Daddy Dana said he can’t trust you to lead anything,” one fan wrote.
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Jon Jones immediately retorted, stating that the fan was distorting the UFC president's words. According to him, Dana only expressed concern about possible unforeseen circumstances, since the event at the White House is still a long way off.
"Actually, that's not what he said. He said he can't afford for anything to go wrong. Which is understandable; it's hard to commit to any athlete with literally a year to go. Let's not mince words. My entire career has been in main event fights," Jones replied.
That's actually not what he said, he said he can't afford anything to go wrong. Which is understandable, it's hard to commit to any athletes literally still a year out. Let's not twist words, my entire career has been a main event. https://t.co/eiIvVn2wtb
— Jonny Meat (@JonnyBones) July 20, 2025
Dana White drops Jon Jones for UFC White House
Dana White and Jon Jones at a UFC press conference. Photo: Reproduction/UFC
With numerous controversies on his record and absences from important fight cards, Jon Jones has become, in Dana White's view, an unreliable name for high-profile events. During the post-UFC 318 press conference, the UFC president made it clear that he prefers not to take risks when booking the fighter for an event of this magnitude.
"I can't risk putting him in key positions in a crucial scenario and something going wrong. Especially the White House card," said Dana White.
Dana White promises dream card at UFC Casa Branca
The White House is the seat of the US government. Photo: Reproduction X/WhiteHouse
Dana White is hyping up the promise of a UFC event in the White House garden. The CEO stated that a massive card is being prepared and even compared it to a kind of "Sphere on steroids," referring to UFC 306 , held at the "Sphere" in Las Vegas last September. Recently, President Donald Trump announced a UFC event at the White House for July 2026.
"Obviously, everyone wants to fight on that card. And that's good, because we're going to present the best card we've ever done for that White House event. Think about what I'm going to do for this fight, and then think about what (President) Trump is going to do for this fight. It's a unique experience. Like when we did 'Sphere,' it's the Sphere on fire! It's going to be a unique event, and it'll never be the same again," said Dana White in an interview with 'PatMcAfeeShow'.
White House event prompted Jon Jones' return to the Octagon
Jones was linked to a potential fight against Tom Aspinall for much of 2025, with UFC president Dana White even guaranteeing the bout would take place in November at Madison Square Garden. However, the veteran surprised everyone by announcing his retirement, ending the saga for now.
The decision, however, was short-lived. With confirmation that the UFC would hold a special card as part of the celebrations for the 250th anniversary of US independence, a plan conceived by Donald Trump, Jones became enthusiastic and decided to return to action. The American claims to have already resubmitted his application to the anti-doping program, a mandatory step for any return.
“I can’t promise anything, but I have a very strong feeling that I’ll be on that card. I think it will be something incredibly iconic, historic. In my opinion, it will be on the same level as Thrilla in Manila, Rumble in the Jungle… It could even be bigger,” Jon Jones recently projected in an interview with 'Joy of Everything'.
Jon Jones faces new criminal charge over US accident
While dreaming of a return to the UFC, Jon Jones faces new criminal charges related to a car accident that occurred on February 21st in Albuquerque, New Mexico. According to documents obtained by 'MMA Fighting', the fighter is being investigated for fleeing the scene of the collision and for using a phone to intimidate a witness, a woman who was visibly intoxicated and unclothed from the waist down, and who allegedly identified him as the driver.
Records show Jones called her 13 times after the crash, and reportedly even made threats to police officers during one of the calls.
Jones' defense, led by attorney Christopher Dodd, argued that the accusations were unfounded and that the witness had lied to avoid being held accountable for driving under the influence.
He also criticized the existence of two similar cases without coordination between authorities, which would violate legal rules. On June 30, Dodd requested the dismissal of one of the complaints, citing duplicative accusations.
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