Jon Jones appears to be contemplating a return to mixed martial arts competition, possibly motivated by a significant upcoming opportunity.
Following President Donald Trump`s announcement of plans to host a UFC event at The White House on Independence Day in 2026, several fighters reacted enthusiastically. Among them was Conor McGregor, who expressed interest in competing on the proposed fight card.
Now, Jones, aged 37, is hinting at a comeback after previously announcing his retirement in June. The former champion in both the heavyweight and light heavyweight divisions commented on social media, writing, “Fighting at The White House?” accompanied by an eyes emoji.
Adding fuel to the speculation, Jones subsequently posted that he had “Just re-entered the testing pool,” before adding that it “lasted for about two weeks” and that they “Figured we’d keep everyone’s options open.”
Jones declared his retirement on June 21, following a period of relatively low activity during which he added the UFC heavyweight title to his collection but competed only twice since 2020. Throughout that time, Jones frequently faced criticism for not agreeing to fight Tom Aspinall, the interim champion who openly sought a title unification bout against Jones. In Jones` absence, Aspinall was promoted to undisputed champion status.
President Trump would undoubtedly be eager to have Jones participate in the event. The president was present at Jones` most recent fight at UFC 309 in New York, where Jones successfully defended his title against Stipe Miocic. Jones celebrated his victory by mimicking one of Trump`s well-known dance moves and then greeted the president cageside.
