Jon Jones says he holds no resentment toward the UFC or Dana White after being left off the UFC White House event on June 14, despite briefly announcing his retirement and then reversing course when plans for the card were revealed.
Dana White has stated that Jones was "never, ever, ever" in consideration for the UFC White House lineup, which featured Justin Gaethje knocking out Ilia Topuria to unify the interim and undisputed lightweight titles. The loss was Topuria’s first defeat and resulted in facial fractures in both of his orbital bones.
Jones said he was happy with how the landmark event played out and what it symbolized for MMA. "I absolutely loved it," Jones said. "It really showed me—it humbled me and it just showed me that our sport is at a prestigious level right now. When I first started MMA, we weren’t allowed to compete in New York State. People looked at it as being taboo, a very weird thing to do. Now, it’s a very honorable sport to be a part of. Probably one of the most honorable sports to be a part of right now in history."
Jones, a multiple-time UFC champion with a single career defeat by disqualification to Matt Hamill in a fight he was dominating, reflected on his place in the game as he nears his 39th birthday. "I’m grateful to be considered one of the best in the sports history. It makes me feel a lot more important since the White House card."
