Former two-division UFC champion Jon Jones has formally requested an immediate release from his contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). This significant development follows a public dispute with UFC CEO Dana White regarding Jones’ exclusion from a highly anticipated White House UFC event and White’s subsequent comments about the fighter’s health and alleged negotiations.
Jones had initially announced his retirement but quickly reversed that decision last July upon hearing President Donald Trump’s plans for a UFC event on the White House lawn. Eager to be part of the historic celebration, Jones re-entered the anti-doping testing pool, signaling his intent to compete.
However, when the White House fight card was unveiled, Jones’ name was notably absent. UFC CEO Dana White addressed this during a post-fight press conference, emphatically stating that Jones was never considered for the White House event. White cited multiple reasons for this decision, including Jones’ reported hip issues, specifically arthritis and the potential need for a hip replacement, which White suggested was the true reason for Jones’ prior retirement. White also dismissed any claims of negotiations, asserting that he had already informed Jones’ lawyer that a fight at the White House was out of the question, making Jones’ public statements about ongoing negotiations “crazier.”
On Monday, Jones publicly responded to White’s remarks, directly refuting several points. He confirmed that his team was, in fact, engaged in genuine negotiations with the UFC for the White House bout. Jones claimed he even reduced his initial financial request but was met with a “lowball” offer in return. While acknowledging his hip arthritis and the associated pain, Jones clarified that it does not prevent him from fighting. He questioned the UFC’s stance, suggesting that if he had accepted the low offer, his hip condition would suddenly be deemed acceptable for competition, which he found illogical.
Jones further revealed that he underwent stem cell treatment the previous week specifically to prepare for the White House card, with training camp scheduled to commence shortly thereafter. Expressing disappointment, Jones stated that after his years of dedication, title defenses, and contributions to the UFC, hearing he was “done” was particularly disheartening. He also pointed out the inconsistency of White’s statements, noting that as recently as the preceding Friday, the UFC was still attempting to secure his participation on the White House card, albeit for significantly lower compensation.
Concluding his statement, Jones made his request explicit: “If the UFC truly feels like I’m done, then I respectfully ask to be released from my contract today. No more spins, no more games.”
