Jon Jones really wishes he’d fought at UFC White House.
Jones is widely considered one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time, and the unquestioned GOAT of the UFC’s light heavyweight division. He last fought at UFC 309, finishing Stipe Miocic to defend the heavyweight title. After that fight, Jones retired from MMA, but he ended his retirement shortly afterward to fight at the UFC White House card. But now that ship has sailed, Jones says he’ll most likely never fight again.
“I really do believe that was my last moment inside the cage,” Jones told The Schmo. “And it was great. I got to fight — my brother was still alive at the time, my father was there. I got to tell the world that I love Jesus, and that will never change. I got to salute our President. I’m not huge into politics, but to have your President there, whether you’re Democrat or Republican, is massive. So honestly, I don’t think it gets much better than that.
“Stipe Miocic was considered the greatest heavyweight of all-time. You know, we’re both older, but to defeat him, I don’t really see how it can get bigger than that.”
For Jones, the only thing bigger would have been a spot on the UFC White House card. Practically from the moment the card was announced, Jones campaigned for a spot at the event. Jones even attempted to apologize to the UFC for leaving them in the lurch with his retirement after the promotion reportedly met his demands for a title unification bout with Tom Aspinall. But Jones’ campaigning apparently fell on deaf ears as he was not considered for the event, and instead, the card featured an interim heavyweight title fight between Gane and Alex Pereira in the co-main event.
And that, Jones said, is one of the biggest regrets of his life.
“There was the White House card,” Jones said. “That was one of the few nights in my career where I just was thinking, ‘I should have been there.’ I usually don’t regret decisions, but that was one of my big regrets in life, not being a part of the White House. But if I never fight again, I think I’m pretty damn happy.”
