UFC great Jon Jones has admitted that not fighting at the White House is a “regret” he will “live with forever”.

Jones, a former light-heavyweight and heavyweight champion , retired from mixed martial arts in summer 2025, giving up the heavyweight belt in the process.

However, the American angled for a return this June , hoping to feature on the UFC’s unprecedented card on the South Lawn .

Jon Jones sitting cageside at UFC 327 in April (Getty)

Instead, the event was headlined by a lightweight title fight in which Justin Gaethje dethroned Ilia Topuria, after the co-main event saw Ciryl Gane stop Alex Pereira to win the interim heavyweight strap.

“Honestly, there was a little bit of contract negotiation that didn’t go my way,” Jones said in an interview with Prince St Pizza on Wednesday.

“Dana [White, UFC president and CEO] is the absolute man, that’s the boss, and sometimes you and the boss aren’t gonna always agree.…