Alex Pereira is still open to a future fight with Jon Jones despite the former champion’s recent revelation of severe arthritis in his left hip. Jones’ condition, serious enough to qualify him for a hip replacement, has cast doubt on his return to the Octagon.
Jones recently revealed he has severe arthritis, which could impact Pereira’s plans for a potential heavyweight bout. Jones last competed in November 2024, defeating Stipe Miocic via third-round TKO at UFC 309. He also re-entered the USADA drug testing pool in hopes of competing at a UFC White House event.
Jones stated the UFC knows the full extent of his arthritis condition and is considering retirement for a second time, though he remains interested in competing at a UFC White House event if the opportunity justifies the physical demands of his arthritis condition.
Speaking with Valter Walker, Pereira addressed Jones’ revelations stating, “I think every athlete has chronic injuries, serious injuries,”
He also expressed his willingness to face any opponent at light heavyweight or heavyweight.
“Whoever they put in front of me, I’ll be fighting,” Pereira said. “I love fighting, so it doesn’t matter weight classes — of course, if you say middleweight I can’t make that anymore. At the other two divisions, light heavyweight and heavyweight, [the opponent] is indifferent to me.”
Pereira remains interested in competing at the UFC event at the White House in June, even if Jones is not his opponent. He is keeping the door open for a move to the heavyweight division.
Javier Mendez, coach of Khabib Nurmagomedov (29-0), believes Jon Jones’ (28-1) multiple PED violations disqualify him from GOAT status. Mendez argues that in true sports, cheaters should not be considered at the top.
Mendez made his case during an appearance on The Ahmad Mahmood Show. He stated that he and Khabib Nurmagomedov are now focused on training Usman Nurmagomedov. Jon Jones has a 28-1 record, with 12 light heavyweight title defenses, and recently won the heavyweight title and defended it once before retiring. Khabib Nurmagomedov retired after defending the UFC lightweight title three times, last against Justin Gaethje in 2020.
Mendez on Jones’ Controversies
Speaking with Ahmad Mahmood, Mendez explained why he believes Khabib is the GOAT over Jon Jones, citing Jones’ past controversies. “The GOAT for me is Khabib, and I would put Jon Jones in that category, but I can’t,” Mendez said.
Mendez continued, “If you’re caught doing something you shouldn’t have been doing, how can you be considered at the top of the league? This is a true sport, and in a true sport you cannot put that person ahead. How many people have won Olympic gold medals and then they find out they cheated and got the medals taken away from them?”
Jones’ sole loss was a disqualification for a 12-to-6 elbow, later legalized; his career has been marred by multiple drug testing violations.
Jon Jones’ name has appeared in connection to the recently released Jeffrey Epstein files, though the link stems from an unexpected source: Epstein’s documented interest in watching UFC fights.
The disgraced financier, whose name returned to headlines following the release of files related to his heinous criminal activities, was apparently an avid UFC fan who maintained a subscription to UFC Select.
According to the leaked documents, Epstein specifically watched fights featuring Jones, including UFC Versus 1 where Jones faced Brandon Vera.
The connection came to light through emails showing Epstein’s viewing habits and account activity. Records indicate he requested a password reset for his UFC TV account just months before his arrest, demonstrating his continued engagement with the sport during his final months as a free man.
The files reveal details about Epstein’s entertainment preferences during the period leading up to his legal troubles, with UFC programming apparently among his regular viewing choices.
Jones, who has no known personal connection to Epstein beyond being featured in fights that Epstein watched, continues his MMA career as one of the sport’s most accomplished fighters.
The revelation offers an unusual glimpse into how Epstein spent his time before his arrest, with UFC fights apparently serving as part of his regular entertainment routine.
The documents make no suggestion of any interaction or relationship between Jones and Epstein. The mention of his name in the files appears solely related to Epstein’s consumption of publicly available UFC content.
Daniel Cormier doesn’t buy Jon Jones’ claim that he was secretly recorded discussing his arthritis at a bare knuckle event. Speaking on the Daniel Cormier Show, the former UFC double champion laid out his case for why Jones orchestrated the entire leak himself.
Jones recently addressed the viral video, saying the person who recorded him was wearing Meta glasses and that the conversation was meant to be private.
“It is true. I do have arthritis and the kid that leaked that was an absolute [expletive],” Jones said. “I was talking to some guys in confidential and he had one of those Meta glasses on… That wasn’t for everybody to hear.”
Cormier wasn’t having it.
DC Knows How Meta Glasses Work
Cormier pointed out that Meta glasses are nearly impossible to miss up close — his own coach wears them.
“It’s hard to hide that you’re being recorded with Meta glasses,” Cormier said. “If I am 50 yards away from you and I’m recording you, okay, you may not be able to tell, but if I’m two to three feet away like the kid was, they got a white light on the side of the glasses. The moment they start recording, there’s a white light on the side of those glasses that tells you that they are recording. How could he have missed that?”
Athletes Always Know When They’re Being Recorded
Cormier added that anyone who has spent years in the public eye develops an instinct for spotting cameras — something Jones has dealt with for over a decade.
“When you’ve been in the public eye, you build this almost sixth sense as to when people are recording you,” Cormier said. “Because when you’re around or in the public spotlight, the people around you even build a way to figure out that you’re being recorded. It’s just the way it is.”
DC’s Theory: Jones Leaked It on Purpose
Cormier laid out his full theory — that Jones deliberately fed the injury information to an influencer so it would go public while maintaining plausible deniability.
“I believe that information like that, if it’s that close to the vest, you don’t share it with a random,” Cormier said. “I don’t know that anything he does isn’t intended to be taken in the way that it’s taken. It feels like everything he does has a purpose. So, I don’t believe it and I don’t think you should because I don’t think that he was unaware of the video. I think that Jon Jones knew what he was doing.”
“I think that he wanted people to know that he’s injured and I think that’s exactly the way that he wanted it to happen by giving it to an influencer and that influencer put it on the internet and then he could feign ignorance and go, ‘Oh my god, I got caught.’ Not true.”
Why Leak It? Because It Might Actually Be Over.
Cormier’s skepticism about the recording doesn’t extend to the injuries themselves. He said watching Jones at a recent celebrity football game changed his mind about the severity of the damage.
“I think for the first time, I actually believe that he might have some true issues with his hips because I was watching him play football at that celebrity thing and when Dwight Howard ran past him, there’s no way — there’s no way that he was actually trying and Dwight Howard was able to go past him like that,” Cormier said.
“I believe Jon Jones really is dealing with sustained injuries from a long sustained career in combat sports where knees and elbows and kicks were such a massive part of his game, the wrestling. Sports from a young age takes a toll on the body to anyone. I truly believe that.”
‘Get Ready for a Day Without Jones in Fighting’
Cormier connected the dots — if Jones is controlling the narrative around his physical decline, it’s because the end of his legendary career is approaching.
“I think that people should now start to get ready for a day where they don’t have Jones in fighting. I don’t think you’re going to have him much longer in this sport because I don’t think the guy’s body is going to hold up,” Cormier said. “It’s a sad thing because in real time, you could see him starting to come to accept that all those days are over. In real time, we’re watching him come to the acceptance that it’s over.”
“Once he’s done, that whole generation of fighters might be done. Everybody’s gone. All those great guys are gone and he’s one of the ones that is left and he was the super young guy that was fighting all of us and everybody’s done except for Jones and it seems like that day is coming for him to be done too.”
Jon Jones is once again flirting with retirement, just months after reversing his initial decision to walk away from MMA.
The 38-year-old former two-weight UFC champion emotionally announced he was done with the sport last June. Weeks later, he completed a U-turn and confirmed his intention to fight again in 2026. Now, in an interview with Helen Yee, Jones appears to be having second thoughts.
Jones Struggled at Charity Football Game
Fans feared the worst after footage from a charity football game earlier this week showed Jones visibly struggling to run. The clips spread rapidly across social media, reigniting questions about whether the UFC’s greatest fighter can realistically compete again.
“I think I could be done,” Jones told Helen Yee. “I’m young enough to compete with some of the best fighters in the world. I am healthy enough to compete with some of the best fighters in the world, but I’ve always been used to competing with THE best in the world.”
Jones Sets a High Standard for Himself
Jones made clear that his hesitation isn’t about ability — it’s about legacy. The former light heavyweight and heavyweight champion doesn’t want to become a fighter who “wins some and loses some.”
“That’s a really high standard to uphold,” Jones said. “So, maybe it’s just about doing it right and getting out at a really good time. I don’t wanna be one of these fighters that wins some and loses some, and can’t remember what your name is.”
Despite the uncertainty, Jones has not officially vacated the UFC heavyweight title or withdrawn from the USADA testing pool. Whether this is another temporary wobble or a genuine shift in thinking remains to be seen.
The GOAT debate surrounding Jones will only intensify if he walks away without defending his heavyweight belt, leaving an entire division in limbo and a potential super-fight with Pereira on the table.
UFC veteran and pro wrestling fixture Matt Riddle has weighed in on the debate surrounding Jon Jones’ status as the greatest fighter of all time, offering both acknowledgment of their shared history and respect for Jones’ accomplishments.
Matt Riddle Says Jon Jones is “The Baddest Dude on the Planet” Despite Beating Him in Wrestling
Speaking with The Schmo backstage at Real American Freestyle’s RAF05 event in Sunrise, Florida, Riddle addressed his past victories over Jones during their high school wrestling days. “I mean, I did beat Jon Jones back in the day. We have some history, but he is, let’s be real, it’s Jon Jones,” Riddle said. “Anybody can say whatever they want. The guy is the baddest dude on the planet.”
Riddle, who won the New York State wrestling championship in 2004 while attending Saratoga Springs High School defeated Jones twice in state-level tournaments during their amateur careers. Jones, who competed for Union-Endicott High School, finished third at the 2004 state championships before winning the title in 2005.
However, Jones has disputed Riddle’s version of events. In January 2026, the former UFC heavyweight champion responded to Riddle’s claims on Instagram, stating he never actually wrestled Riddle. “I could be the bigger man and let it go, but there’s another side of me that can be extremely petty,” Jones wrote. “The truth is, I never wrestled Matt. I lost in the state semifinals to Jack Sullivan back in 2004.”
Despite the disagreement over their wrestling history, Riddle was effusive in his praise of Jones as a mixed martial artist. “And now that he’s heavyweight, let’s be real, he’s gonna kill everybody,” Riddle said. “You might hit a lucky shot, but pound for pound, time for time, minute per minute, Jon Jones is the best fighter in the world.”
Does Matt Riddle think he could take Jon Jones?
When asked about a potential rematch under the Real American Freestyle banner, Riddle acknowledged the likely outcome.
“If they want to book it, they can. Jon Jones is probably going to smoke my ass,” he said. “But at the same time, never say never. That’s what fighters have in their hearts.”
Jones, who retired from MMA in June 2025 at age 37, compiled a record of 28-1 with his only loss being a controversial disqualification. He held the UFC light heavyweight championship for 14 years across multiple reigns and captured the heavyweight title in 2023 after defeating Ciryl Gane. Jones recently announced plans to return for a potential fight at a White House event celebrating America’s 250th birthday.
Riddle competed in the UFC from 2008 to 2013, posting an 8-3 record before being released after testing positive for marijuana twice. He transitioned to professional wrestling in 2014 and spent several years with WWE before joining Major League Wrestling, where he won the MLW World Heavyweight Championship in January 2025. He lost the title in September 2025.
Jon Jones and Alex Pereira spent the weekend firing shots at each other on social media, fueling speculation about a potential champion vs. champion superfight.
The exchange kicked off Saturday when Pereira posted a video from the tire shop in Brazil where he worked before his UFC stardom. The clip showed a tire marked “Next Jones” alongside a hammer labeled “Poatan” — a not-so-subtle challenge to the former heavyweight champion.
Jones didn’t take long to respond. The UFC legend posted a video on Instagram warning Pereira about what he’s asking for.
“I’ve beat a lot of legends from your country, my friend. I know you’d love to avenge the boys, but boy, would you be a good one to add to my list. Be careful what you wish for. Chama,” Jones said, borrowing Pereira’s signature catchphrase.
Jones’ record against Brazilian fighters speaks for itself — he holds victories over Maurício “Shogun” Rua, Lyoto Machida, Vitor Belfort, Glover Teixeira, and Thiago Santos throughout his legendary career.
The back-and-forth comes as both fighters position themselves for the UFC White House event scheduled for June 14, 2026. Jones retired last June but re-entered the USADA testing pool weeks later after President Trump announced the historic card. Pereira has been on a tear since reclaiming his light heavyweight title with an 80-second demolition of Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320 in October.
UFC CEO Dana White remains skeptical about booking Jones, previously telling Complex: “Can I count on Jon Jones? I can’t have Jon Jones doing something bad or pulling out of the White House fight.”
Whether the trash talk leads to an actual booking remains to be seen, but Jones and Pereira have made their interest abundantly clear.
One of MMA’s most intense rivalries will resume in 2026 as Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier are set to face off… as opposing coaches on ALF Reality Season 3.
ALF Global founder Alfredo Auditore announced the news on January 5 via social media, sharing a face-off photo of the two UFC legends. The Russian reality series, styled after The Ultimate Fighter, is known for its chaotic format and unscripted confrontations between coaches and fighters.
This marks Jones’ second stint on the show after he previously coached alongside Nate Diaz, who departed following a brawl during filming. Jorge Masvidal stepped in to replace Diaz for Season 2. For Cormier, the UFC Hall of Famer and current broadcaster, this will be his first appearance on the series.
Jones and Cormier battled twice in the UFC Octagon, with Jones winning both encounters. Their first meeting at UFC 182 in January 2015 saw Jones claim a unanimous decision, while their UFC 214 rematch ended with a Jones head kick knockout—later overturned to a no-contest after Jones tested positive for a banned substance.
Following the announcement, Cormier hinted at potentially facing Jones beyond the coaching role, calling for a wrestling match in Real American Freestyle.
“I’m telling you, Real American Freestyle Wrestling is gonna see me and Jon Jones at some point, and I’m gonna kick his ass like you would never believe,” Cormier said on his podcast. “Because guess what? I still shoot. I still train wrestlers every single day.”
Filming for ALF Reality Season 3 is expected to begin in the coming weeks. No release date has been announced.
Controversial UFC legend Jon Jones has called Tom Aspinall a one-trick pony in the wake of his no contest against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321.
As we know, Jon Jones isn’t interested in the idea of fighting Tom Aspinall – or, at least, he certainly hasn’t been for the last couple of years. There’s a chance that his attitude may change after Aspinall’s no contest against Gane in the main event of UFC 321, which ended due to a nasty double eye poke from the Frenchman.
Jon Jones has already said that he wants to break his retirement and return to the UFC at some point next year, likely in time for the UFC White House event. While he wants to take on Alex Pereira in a superfight, you would have to think he is interested in trying to become a two-time UFC heavyweight champion.
In a recent interview, Jon Jones spoke candidly when discussing Tom’s abilities and how the fight with Gane was playing out.
🤣 Jon Jones just fired shots at Tom Aspinall:
“He’s a one trick pony.”
“His wrestling and jiu jitsu is incredibly overrated, he has a beautiful 1-2.. that’s about it.
“Tom’s a great athlete, but I do feel like he’s a one-trick pony,” Jones said on “NoScripts Podcast.” “I believe that his wrestling and jiu-jitsu is incredibly overrated. He has a beautiful 1-2. I got to learn a lot about his patterns in his last fight. That’s really about it. That’s the one thing that he’s setting up real nice.”
“He couldn’t touch Ciryl Gane at all, that’s the way I felt,” Jones said. “I felt Gane was just getting warmed up. Gane’s hands was down, he was shaking his shoulders, bouncing around, touching him – he was so comfortable.”
Jon Jones and Alex Pereira is a fight booking that the two seem quite keen to participate in with a prominent MMA analyst foreseeing that blockbuster bout taking place next year. That individual being referenced is Chael Sonnen who mentioned this during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show.
Touching on the potential of that heavyweight matchup happening and how that plays into the need for clarity with the light heavyweight title picture with Pereira helming over that division, Sonnen said,
“Pereira and Jones social media talk—the fight is coming in 2026. But Jon Jones is the only fighter not wanting to fight. He took three years off to drink protein shakes, sitting out on suspension.”
“He jumped back in the pool, can’t decide. If Jon thinks Pereira will sit and do nothing at age 38, it’s not going to solve anything. Jon could call out and fight Pereira in February or March and then do something else.”
“But instead, Pereira is pointing at heavyweight, and we need to listen to that. If Pereira stays at heavyweight, we need to vacate the belt and move on.”
Jon Jones takes shot at Tom Aspinall following UFC 321 eye poke
Jon Jones couldn’t resist getting in a dig at UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall who was poked in the eyes during his recent title defense with Ciryl Gane which led to an anticlimactic no contest at UFC 321. The Jones-Aspinall title unification discourse domianted the media cycle for quite a while with the former eventually retiring and vacating the belt which led then-interim champion Aspinall to become the undisputed champion outright.
In the wake of the inauspicious ending to the Abu Dhabi-based heavyweight title fight, Jones made reference to the main event outcome when he changed his social media picture of a duck to a duck with an eye patch over it. ‘Bones’ also shared a post that someone put up regaridng the Aspinall vs. Gane clash comparing the time duration where Jones finished Gane, contrasted with how long the Aspinall vs. Gane fight was. Jones would impose text over that post which said ‘never forget who the GOAT is.’
After the events of UFC 321, you knew Jon Jones was going to make his voice heard. And he did so in a way that was equal parts subtle as it was blatant.
The UFC 321 heavyweight championship main event featuring Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane ended in a no contest after Aspinall was left unable to continue due to a double eye poke. In the hours since, the MMA community has been in debate over if Gane is at fault for the eye pokes or if Aspinall wanted a way out of the fight.
Jones has given his answer, changing photos on his social media accounts to rubber ducks with eye patches.
🚨🚨 Jon Jones reacts to the Ciryl Gane vs Tom Aspinall fight
…by updating his Twitter and IG “duck” profile pictures to a duck with an eyepatch 😬
This was a clap back and nod to UFC London earlier this year. There, Aspinall was in the crowd and held up a rubber duck to the camera, implying that Jones was ducking him in the negotiations for an undisputed title fight between the two that ultimately fell through.
Jon Jones Sends Dig To Tom Aspinall, Wants To Fight Alex Pereira At UFC White House
Jones wasn’t done, however. A few hours after the end of the card, Jones directed a post on X (formerly Twitter) toward Alex Pereira, putting out the idea of the two facing off at the UFC White House card this coming June.
“Alex, I’d be down to bring the highest skill level to the White House,” Jones said in the post. “I appreciate the respect you showed, let’s dance.”
This was in response to Pereira’s own reaction to the UFC 321 conclusion. In an Instagram post, Pereira can be seen shaking his head with a smirk as he walked away from his TV screen.
UFC legend Jon Jones has paid tribute to his brother Arthur Jones who passed away this month at the age of 39.
As we know, the Jones family has quite a legacy in the sports world. In addition to Jon Jones being one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time, his brothers Arthur and Chandler both competed in the National Football League – with both winning a Super Bowl during their careers.
Unfortunately, as previously stated, Jon Jones’ brother Arthur passed away on October 3rd. In the following post, Jon paid tribute to his brother with a lovely message.
Arthur was not just a Super Bowl champion but a father, spouse, son, brother, everyone’s best friend, a gentle giant whose kindness and generosity knew no bounds.
“He had a love for the outdoors, whether it was duck hunting, fishing, or riding four wheelers with his family, he brought pure joy, warmth and laughter to every moment spent around him. Arthur’s generosity extended far beyond his friends and family. He was alway involved in local charities and gave back to the students and the community with an open heart.
“His legacy inspires me every day. Our dad Arthur Jones Jr, me, Chandler, Arthur Jones IV, and the rest of the family are committed to moving forward striving to be the best versions of ourselves, just as he would have wanted.
“King Arthur will truly be missed, he’s gone way too soon, but his spirit will live on in our hearts forever. Rest easy, big bro, you deserve it, you did amazing.”
MMA legend Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller has given his thoughts on the potential superfight that’s brewing between Alex Pereira and Jon Jones.
Ever since his iconic win at UFC 320, Alex Pereira has been making it known that he is interested in squaring off with Jon Jones in a blockbuster superfight. If it happens, you’d have to imagine that the goal would be for it to take place on the UFC White House card, perhaps serving as the main event of the show.
Alex Pereira clearly respects Jon Jones and vice versa, but Dana White hasn’t been willing to commit to putting ‘Bones’ on the card – largely because of how he handled the Tom Aspinall situation.
In a recent interview, the aforementioned ‘Mayhem’ Miller weighed in on what he believes should happen.
Jason Miller’s view on Alex Pereira vs Jon Jones
“100% should happen. 100% should happen.”
“Well, Jon Jones I see that fight a lot closer than people would think. Everyone likes to defer, ‘Oh, Jon will win that one.’ And that is the inkling in the back of my head. He’s a more complete martial artist and at this stage in his career bigger.”
“Do I want Poatan to win? Yeah. Yeah. A little bit. I do. Because this guy has the romantic story. I don’t know, all that story could be fluff they made up. But man, working at the tire shop, some manly stuff. Hey, I did that myself… He went through his struggles. He overcame it. Kickboxing champion.”
MMA analyst Chael Sonnen has given his thoughts on why he firmly believes Alex Pereira actually wants to fight Jon Jones.
Alex Pereira is once again the UFC light heavyweight champion after he knocked out Magomed Ankalaev in the main event of UFC 320. In the aftermath of the event, he let the masses know that he’s very interested in the idea of battling Jon Jones at some point in the future.
In a recent video, Chael Sonnen highlighted why he believes Pereira genuinely wants to fight Jones, as opposed to those who have called him out even if they don’t actually want to fight him.
Chael Sonnen on Alex Pereira wanting to fight Jon Jones
“I don’t believe anybody’s ever wanted to fight Jon Jones. You’ll find a couple of people that said it. I don’t believe them. I think Alex Pereira might be the first person to ever call out Jon Jones where I actually think they want to fight Jon. This isn’t about a main event. This isn’t about Madison Square Garden. This isn’t about pay-per-view points and legacy. They actually want to fight Jon Jones. X’s and O’s, my skills versus your skills—just so we know, just so we can go on through this journey known as life and have the answer to this question: Can I beat you or can you beat me? I mean, it is extremely honorable.”
“Don’t tell me money. Pereira’s rich. Pereira has the number one contract in the UFC. I don’t count Conor because Conor is not currently licensed. Just so you know, Pereira has the number one contract. Before Pereira had that, the highest paid fighter was Israel Adesanya. And within that mix is Khabib. The most beautiful contract was, aside from McGregor, then came Khabib, and then Pereira got in the mix and here we are.
“So, we move money out. Everybody wants money and you want more money. I get it. But let’s just move money out. Whatever Pereira does next—and by the way, fighting Jon Jones collectively compared to whatever else Pereira can do, it’s not as substantial as one might think. So, let’s move money out. He’s going to get money either way.”
“A legit, true competitor who legitimately, behind the fame and the money and the cameras, wants to know: Am I better than you or are you better than me? I can live with the outcome. I don’t want to have to live with the wonder; was it you or was it me? Life moves on either way. But I don’t want to be under contract with you at the same time in this era with an ability to get to the ring—whatever that ability is.
“If it means I’ve got to come to your weight class, if it means you’re coming to mine, if it means there’s no belt or I’ve got to put up my belt, whatever the stakes, let’s get this to the ring. And it is such an honorable thing. It is where this sport started.”
MMA analyst Chael Sonnen has given his thoughts on what the future could, and should, hold for Jon Jones as he contemplates a return from retirement.
While he may not be everyone’s cup of tea, there’s no denying that Jon Jones is one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time. That’s largely due to the legacy he built for himself in the light heavyweight division, but he also became a UFC champion up at heavyweight, defeating Ciryl Gane and Stipe Miocic during his stint there.
Right now, Jon Jones is in a strange position. There’s a chance he could fight for the UFC heavyweight championship at the White House next summer, but there’s also the possibility of him battling Alex Pereira in a superfight – which is what ‘Poatan’ called for after his iconic UFC 320 title win last weekend.
In a recent video, Jones’ former rival Chael Sonnen gave his thoughts on what he believes should be next for ‘Bones’, and it involves a return to 205 pounds.
Chael Sonnen’s view on Jon Jones’ future
“If I were Jon Jones, I would say, ‘I will fight you, but it will be for a belt.’ They’re going to say, ‘Well, that belt’s between y’all and Aspinall, and we don’t quite have time to get it done.’ And I would tell Jon Jones, ‘Look at the man in the mirror.
“He’s holding the belt. I’ll come see you, Alex Pereira, but I’m coming back. I’m coming to my weight class. You never should have been champion. You never would have been champion had I not left. And I’m going to come back one more time to remind you who the goat really is.’ That changes everything.”
Sean Strickland has some interesting thoughts on how a fight between Jon Jones and Alex Pereira could potentially play out.
As we know, Jon Jones retired from mixed martial arts not so long ago. Then, in the blink of an eye, he seemed to change his mind, instead opting to shoot for a possible return at next summer’s UFC White House card. While Dana White doesn’t appear to be all too interested in the idea, Jon seems set on trying to change the boss’ mind.
While fighting for the UFC heavyweight championship will obviously appeal to him, Jon Jones has also previously teased the idea of a superfight against Alex Pereira. After UFC 320 this past weekend, ‘Poatan’ also flirted with battling Jones, implying that he was going to call him out in the cage before news of his brother’s passing broke.
In a recent interview, the aforementioned Sean Strickland weighed in on a possible Pereira vs Jones showdown.
Sean Strickland’s view on Jon Jones vs Alex Pereira
“I think if there’s anyone to beat Jon Jones, it’s Alex. But I mean, Jon Jones, that one guy could wrestle, dude. That level of black athleticism, you know, like that—that man could wrestle, dude. You know, when you come from a lineage of like D1 professional athletes, you know, real real good. Oh, yeah. No, I love it, dude.”
Aside from Strickland’s strange choice of language, the point about Jon’s wrestling ability is certainly an interesting one given Alex’s striking-heavy style.
Former NFL defensive end and Jon Jones’ older brother, Arthur Jones, has sadly passed away at 39.
On Friday, reports emerged of Jones’ passing, though the cause remains unclear. The Baltimore Ravens General Manager Eric DeCosta issued an official statement honoring him.
“We are terribly saddened to learn of Arthur Jones’ sudden passing,” statement reads. “Arthur’s presence was a gift to everyone he encountered. His big, bright smile, infectious energy and eternal positivity created a presence that continuously uplifted others.”
“He was kind, courteous, and enthusiastic – always displaying a love for family, teammates and friends. We send our deepest condolences to the Jones family and all who loved Arthur.”
While the cause of Jones’ death remains unknown, former UFC two-division champion Jon Jones has yet to comment on the devastating news of his brother’s passing.
Image: BaltimoreRavens.com
When Did Arthur Jones Retire From The NFL?
Arthur Jones began his NFL career when he was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in 2010 and signed a three-year rookie deal. He played a key role in the Ravens’ Super Bowl XLVII victory in February 2013.
In March 2014, Jones inked a five-year contract with the Indianapolis Colts. His time there included a four-game suspension at the start of the 2016 season for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drugs policy, and he was eventually released by the Colts in March 2017.
Later that year, in November, Jones joined the Washington Redskins but was sidelined on injured reserve due to a dislocated shoulder. Following the 2017 season, he announced his retirement from the NFL on social media.
MMA analyst Chael Sonnen has an interesting theory regarding Jon Jones requesting $40 million to take on Tom Aspinall.
Right now, Jon Jones is not the UFC heavyweight champion. He was, but he gave up that belt and decided to retire from mixed martial arts instead of fighting Tom Aspinall. However, after the promotion revealed that they’d be heading to the White House for an event next year, ‘Bones’ seemed to change his mind.
Now, fans are left to wait and see whether or not Dana White will change his mind regarding Jon Jones taking part on that card. Either way, there’s a great deal of uncertainty in the air, and it’s clear that Jon will ask for a substantial amount of money in order to agree to the fight.
After it was suggested that Jon Jones wanted $40 million to fight Aspinall, Sonnen felt the need to respond in a recent video.
Chael Sonnen’s view on Jon Jones’ financial request
“I was at the press conference right after Jon Jones beats Stipe Miocic and Jones to fight Tom Aspinall throws out the biggest number he could think of, and that was 40 million. Now, the reason that number happened to be on Jon’s brain is there was just a report that came out that a fight that happened the day before on Netflix, Jake Paul versus Mike Tyson, that Jake Paul was paid $40 million.
“It was not true. It was never true… But when he was asked how much he was going to need to fight Aspinall, he yelled out the biggest number he could think of, which at that time was 40 million because he just read the article about Jake Paul.
“But when you get back home and it’s time to actually find a date in a venue and get this fight done, Jon’s locked in at $40 million. Jon had forgot why he said $40 million. Jon forgot that this was part of the show.”
UFC legend Kamaru Usman has explained why he understands Dana White’s hesitation over booking Jon Jones for UFC White House.
Next summer, the Ultimate Fighting Championship looks set to put on a blockbuster event at the White House. Conor McGregor is someone who is eager to make his return on that card, and the same can be said for Jon Jones. However, Dana White certainly seems to trust the Irishman a whole lot more than the American.
Jon Jones vacated the UFC heavyweight title after seemingly not being interested in a fight against interim champion Tom Aspinall. With that being said, he quickly made it clear that he wants to come back after the promotion announced the aforementioned White House fight.
In a recent podcast, Kamaru Usman weighed in on the whole debacle regarding Dana White and Jones.
Kamaru Usman’s view on Jon Jones’ attitude
“You’ve got Jon Jones,” Usman said while listing the White House options. “He wants to come back and do it. Listen, I would love that for Jon Jones.
“But Jon, you can’t play with the game the way he’s played with the game and expect Dana to still trust you and let you back in to do this. You can’t play with the game like that.”
‘Bones’ doesn’t really have much of a leg to stand on here whereas Dana White needs to look at this objectively, understanding the constant risks that come with putting Jon in there against just about anyone.
UFC boss Dana White has claimed that Jon Jones has apologized for his actions towards the promotion as of late.
As we know, Dana White is willing to settle differences if there’s money to be made – but it often takes a great deal of time and effort. When it comes to Jon Jones, however, Dana is usually quite accommodating, largely because he considers him to be the greatest fighter in the history of mixed martial arts.
Despite that, even Dana White was pretty frustrated when Jon agreed to fight Tom Aspinall in a giant UFC heavyweight championship fight, only to walk away, despite seemingly being offered the money that he was asking for. Now that Jones has said he wants to un-retire and fight at the White House next year, Dana is understandably quite hesitant to commit to such an idea.
In a recent podcast appearance, Dana White said that Jon Jones has since apologized to him for how all of this has gone down.
Dana White says Jon Jones apologized yet trusts Conor McGregor more for the White House card 👀😬
"Jon sent me a text apologizing, but I need people that I can seriously rely on for this one [White House card]. People talk shit about Conor — I've been in the trenches with Conor.… pic.twitter.com/HDM8heUdIq
“Jon sent me a text apologizing, but I need people that I can seriously rely on for this one [White House card]. People talk s*** about Conor — I’ve been in the trenches with Conor. He doesn’t care, he’ll literally fight anybody. Conor and I’ve been talking nonstop and he’s dead serious.”
Who knows what the future holds for White and Jones and the UFC White House card – but what we do know is that right now, the boss isn’t interested.
MMA analyst Chael Sonnen has given his thoughts on why Dana White seemingly trusts Conor McGregor more than Jon Jones heading into next summer’s UFC White House event.
It’s no secret that the UFC White House show is going to be an absolutely huge deal for the promotion if it happens. Dana White seems to be very serious about getting it done and more often than not, when that dynamic develops, he doesn’t stop until it becomes official.
Recently, Jon Jones and Conor McGregor have made it known they want to compete at the White House – but Dana White seemed to be more comfortable with the idea of McGregor fighting on that card than Jones. In a recent video, Chael Sonnen explained why he thinks that’s the case.
Chael Sonnen on Dana White, Conor McGregor and Jon Jones
“Jon really wants on the card. Jon did something that was deemed underhanded in his negotiations with Aspinall. This gets made public. Jon apologizes. He went to Dana White in a text message. Dana said, ‘I let it be known that I didn’t like how this whole thing went down with Aspinall.
“I thought that we had had an agreement. I’m not cool with that.’ And Jon came to him and apologized, said, ‘I’m sorry how this whole thing went down with Tom.’ And that goes a long way. I’m just following the golden rule in life, but put myself in Dana’s shoes. If I get this apology from Jon, that goes a long way. It doesn’t heal everything, but it means something.”
“Conor McGregor would be the go-to guy. Dana White gave Conor a tremendous compliment, saying, ‘Man, I can count on him. If I got a deal with him and things go awry—and they always do—he will do what he says, which is compete at the agreed-upon weight class for the agreed-upon price with whoever it ends up being.’
“That’s a big deal, especially for your top draw. Of the 700-plus athletes under contract, they’re all hearing that compliment. It does change with top draws—they get a little more difficult and if you change part of the deal, they see it as their right to change their part, which just means more money. So, Dana paying that compliment to Conor is a big deal.”
Jon Jones should step back into the octagon against a particular heavyweight, one who doesn’t happen to be the reigning UFC champion, per a former opponent of Jones. This sentiment was expressed by Chael Sonnen on his YouTube channel where ‘The American Gangster’ shouted out a former two time opponent of Tom Aspinall’s for who he thinks could give Jones a run for his money.
Expounding upon why he feels the number four ranked heavyweight contender in the UFC could give ‘Bones’ a stiff test inside the confines of the cage, Sonnen said,
“The hardest opponent for Jon Jones has not changed. The hardest stylistic matchup for Jon Jones, and this has been true for the better part of half a decade, is Curtis Blaydes. Now, you let that sink in and you do with that what you want, but as far as matchup goes, the highest achievement that Jon ever had in wrestling was something called a junior college national championship; a very good and hard achievement. Curtis Blaydes’ highest achievement is that same exact title, one weight class apart. Curtis Blaydes is also a junior college national champion. Jon did it at 197 pounds and Curtis did it at heavyweight.”
Jon Jones acting like his retirement never happened, Sonnen questions Jones’ return
The Jon Jones retirement saga and the emergent talks of Jones wanting to return to compete at next year’s UFC White House card are leaving Sonnen perplexed. The title unification talks with Tom Aspinall dominated MMA media headlines for months with Jones inauspiciously choosing to vacate his belt with Dana White stating ‘Bones’ was hanging up the gloves at the UFC Baku post-event press conference.
Jones has since re-entered the UFC’s drug testing pool for the White House card next Summer with promoter Dana White mentioning that Jones being featured on that particular card would be a one billion to one type of likelihood. Despite Jones claiming he is back to training five days a week, Sonnen has his doubts as he has not seen anyone come out to claim they’re training with the former two division UFC champion and no one is coming out claiming to be coaching Jones.
The former two division UFC title challenger mentioned this on a recent episode of Good Guy/ Bad Guy which Chael Sonnen regularly hosts with fellow former Jones adversary, Daniel Cormier. As he expressed himself on that referenced podcast, Sonnen stated [via MMA Junkie],
“If Jon says that he’s back and he was never injured, he was never ill, he just didn’t want to fight Tom Aspinall; that’s the part to me that’s a little bit weird. He’s playing this as though that retirement never happened, as opposed to this is a comeback. If you’re coming back, what are you coming back for? What is it that you’re coming back to? And is it just an open slate to admit anything? ‘Anyone except that guy, that guy over there in England. Anybody but him.’ Is that how we’re supposed to interpret this?”
Jon Jones continues to troll the mixed martial arts world after recently claiming in an interview that he is no longer retired from the sport.
As we know, wherever Jon Jones goes, controversy seems to follow. He thrives in chaotic environments and after retiring earlier this year, many felt as if it wasn’t going to last. Alas, that hasn’t proven to be the case, with Jon claiming that he wants to fight on next year’s proposed UFC White House card.
Dana White, meanwhile, isn’t quite as convinced. He’s made it clear that he’s not sure he can trust Jon Jones in a position like that, but given the stakes involved if we do get the chance to see Jon vs Tom Aspinall, you’d have to think that Dana would at least be open to the idea from a business standpoint.
In a recent interview, Jon Jones was asked about his future, and he had the following to say.
🚨 Jon Jones says he is NOT retired and is training 5 days a week for the UFC White House event
"I'm not retired, I'm actively training 5 days a week and I'm in the UFC's drug testing pool…
“I am not retired. I am actively training five days a week, and I’m in the UFC’s drug testing pool.”
“I don’t really know [about UFC White House], it’s kind of out of my control right now. I’m training for the event, I’ll be ready for the event. That’s my goal, that’s my intention, but ultimately, it’s up to the boss.”
At this point, it’s hard to know whether he’s coming or going – and that’ll likely continue to be the case.
Jon Jones has been cleared of all charges related to leaving the scene of a hit-and-run accident in New Mexico, according to a report from TMZ.
The Bernanillo County District Attorney’s Office reportedly has found “reason to believe [Jones’] alibi defense is credible” in the circumstances surrounding the February case. As a result, the office will not be pursuing charges against Jones.
The former light heavyweight and heavyweight UFC champion had been facing two charges stemming from the incident — one of leaving the scene of an accident and one count of use of telephone to terrify, intimidate, threaten, harass, annoy or offend.
Jon Jones Cleared Of Charges From February 2025 Hit-And-Run
Jones was accused of leaving the scene of an accident in Albuquerque on Feb. 21. A woman “exhibiting signs of significant intoxication and lacking clothing from the waist down” claimed Jones was the driver of the vehicle she was in but fled. A police officer reportedly had attempted to make contact with Jones through the usage of the woman’s cell phone but the result was Jones allegedly threatening the officers communicating with him.
In July, it was reported that Jones’ call records were subpoenaed by police, with Jones calling the woman 13 times between 2:17 a.m. and 11:34 a.m. the next morning, as well as a two-and-a-half hour gap in Jones’ location.
“From the very beginning, we explained that a woman made a false allegation against Jon in an effort to avoid being arrested for DWI,” Jones’ attorney, Christopher A. Dodd, stated. “Unfortunately, the police accepted that claim without properly weighing the facts.
“Once the relevant documents were finally disclosed by the police department, Jon’s cell phone records made it undeniably clear that he was nowhere near the scene of the crash. We are grateful that the district attorney’s office took the time to conduct a full and fair review of this case, which ultimately confirmed Jon’s innocence.”
Dodd added that he and his team are conducting their own investigation into the behavior of the police overseeing Jones’ case.
The day that these charges against Jones initially came out was the same day that Jones’ retirement from the UFC was announced by UFC CEO and President Dana White at the UFC Baku post-fight press conference. Tom Aspinall was promoted from interim to undisputed heavyweight champion, seemingly ending a long, drawn-out negotiations process between the parties for an undisputed title fight.
Chael Sonnen believes he knows why Jon Jones chose a tainted path in his career.
Jones is often hailed as the greatest MMA fighter of all time, and his resume more than justifies that. At 23, “Bones” made history as the UFC’s youngest champion by winning the light heavyweight title. He holds a 28-1 record and has remained unbeaten in 17 world title fights.
From April 12, 2008 to June 21, 2025: Jon Jones has officially retired from MMA.
One of the greatest to ever do it. A career full of dominance, championship victories, and undeniable skill. Love him or hate him, the sport will never see another like Jonny Bones. 🐐#UFCpic.twitter.com/A405n2uf9C
However, Jones’ longtime rival Daniel Cormier holds a starkly different perspective. The UFC Hall of Famer recently stirred headlines by leaving Jones off his Mount Rushmore of MMA greats, pointing to the shadow of failed drug tests and controversies that cloud his otherwise legendary career.
The former two-division UFC champion’s illustrious career has been marred by multiple failed drug tests, most notably a positive result for a turinabol metabolite following his knockout win over “DC” in their UFC 214 rematch in July 2017, which was later overturned to a no contest.
“Bones” also failed a drug test for the estrogen blockers clomiphene and letrozole following his victory over Ovince Saint Preux at UFC 197 in April 2016, costing him the UFC 205-pound title.
Image: @espnmma/X
Chael Sonnen Claims Jon Jones Used PEDs Out Of Insecurity, Not Necessity
During a recent episode of Good Guy/Bad Guy with Daniel Cormier, Chael Sonnen, who has openly acknowledged using performance-enhancing drugs during his fighting days, offered his theory on what may have pushed Jon Jones to resort to banned substances despite his repeated denials.
The UFC veteran-turned-analyst suggested that “Bones” resorted to PEDs out of insecurity, arguing that even with his extraordinary talent, there came a point where self-doubt crept in.
“Everybody goes down that road where they cheat the rules because they somewhere had an insecurity,” Chael Sonnen said. “They somewhere wanted an edge and then they come back, go, ‘But I could have done it anyway.’ Well, maybe you didn’t think you could. If you thought you could, you would have not put a synthetic chemical substance into your as*.
“It’s just one of those things, and Jon really gets upset about that. He doesn’t deny the hit-and-runs. He doesn’t deny the cocaine allegations. That’s the one that bothers him, the picogram and the couple of failed tests. That’s a very common thing with athletes. I do believe Jon could have been champ of the world without steroids, but somewhere within him, at some point, he doubted that, and that’s the life he chose.”
