Less than a month after announcing his retirement from MMA, former UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones is already eyeing a return to the Octagon next year.
Jones told TMZ that his “goal” is to fight on the UFC card that is expected to be held at the White House in 2026.
“We haven’t had a conversation about it, but I have a very strong feeling that I’ll be fighting that night, for sure,” Jones said.
Jones added that he will likely officially retire after taking part in the historic event, but he didn’t completely shut the door on his career.
“I think it’s gonna be one and done, but who knows what the future holds?” he said.
Despite Jones’ apparent commitment to a return fight, UFC CEO Dana White expressed some hesitance to book him for what would likely be the most significant event in the history of the company.
“It’s not even about him winning the belt,” White said about Jones at the UFC 318 post-fight press conference, per Damon Martin of MMA Fighting. “You know how I felt about him. I just can’t risk putting him in big positions in a big spot and have something go wrong, especially the White House card.”
Jones followed up by saying he was “disappointed” in White’s press conference, adding that he will be “ready to fight” on July 4:
On June 21, Jones announced that he was vacating his heavyweight title and ending his run in the UFC. He had been expected to face interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, but Aspinall was instead elevated to undisputed champion without a fight.
However, the 38-year-old quickly changed his mind when UFC president Dana White announced that he plans to put together an event that would be held at the White House, potentially on July 4, 2026.
Jones is arguably the most talented fighter in UFC history, so fans will undoubtedly welcome the chance to see him in the Octagon one more time.
Source link
