Jon Jones Eyes UFC White House Fight
Jon Jones confirmed he's still negotiating to fight at the historic UFC White House event on June 14. The card has a $60 million budget — the most expensive in UFC history — but Dana White has trust issues with Jones despite the former two-division champ (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) being optimistic about his inclusion. Jones hasn't fought since 2023 due to injury and contract disputes.
The historic UFC event planned for the White House South Lawn is scheduled for June 14, 2026, a date that coincides with both Flag Day and former President Donald Trump's 80th birthday. This will be the first-ever professional sporting event held at the presidential residence, part of the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States. The planned $60 million budget for this event is set to make it the most expensive in the promotion's history, significantly surpassing the over $20 million spent on UFC 306 at the Sphere in Las Vegas. TKO Group, UFC's parent company, has stated they will cover all costs, ensuring no taxpayer funds are used, and do not expect the event to be profitable. Jon Jones' latest hiatus from the octagon was due to a torn pectoral tendon he suffered in training in October 2023. The injury forced him to pull out of a scheduled heavyweight title defense against Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 and required surgery, with an expected recovery time of at least eight months. The "trust issues" Dana White has with Jones stem from a long and tumultuous history, including past contract disputes and out-of-cage conduct. Unsealed documents from an antitrust lawsuit revealed 2014 text messages where White referred to Jones as a "scumbag" during a contentious negotiation. Jones' contract disputes have been a recurring theme. In 2020, he vacated his Light Heavyweight title amid a pay dispute over a potential move to heavyweight to fight Francis Ngannou, with White claiming Jones demanded "Deontay Wilder money," reported to be in the $25-30 million range. Due to security considerations, the White House event will not have public ticket sales and is expected to host a limited crowd of 3,000 to 4,000 spectators on the South Lawn. To accommodate more fans, UFC CEO Dana White has discussed setting up large viewing screens in the nearby Ellipse park. While no fights are officially confirmed, a lightweight title unification bout between Ilia Topuria and an interim champion was rumored to headline, though the likelihood of that specific matchup has reportedly decreased. The card is expected to feature six or seven fights in total, with fighters walking from the Oval Office to the octagon. The event is planned to be broadcast on Paramount+ in the U.S., with the possibility of some preliminary fights airing on CBS, marking a significant broadcast collaboration for the promotion.
