Dana White will perpetually champion Jon Jones as the best blended martial artist of all time.
With that stated, the connection between White and the previous two-division UFC champion has been strained for a few years. A lot of it facilities on Jones’ frequent run-ins with the legislation and anti-doping violations, which have led to ‘Bones’ being stripped of UFC gold twice throughout his profession.
Throughout an look on the No Scripts podcast, Jones revealed that his relationship with White additional soured after he admittedly reneged on a verbal settlement.
“Dana has modified my life,” Jones stated. “He has modified my youngsters’s lives, and I’m perpetually grateful to him. We had a verbal settlement that didn’t go over nicely. Nothing was finalized. However I do admit guilt—not guilt, however , I used to be improper. I want that I might see him nose to nose and apologize so we will let bygones be bygones and get again to creating some main cash for the game and actually entertaining these followers.”
The “verbal settlement” seemingly refers back to the long-rumored heavyweight unification conflict between Jones and then-interim titleholder Tom Aspinall.
Jon Jones agreed to combat Tom Aspinall earlier than hightailing it out of the UFC
Jones held the undisputed heavyweight belt for a complete of 27 months, although he solely defended the crown as soon as, a lot of that because of a pectoral harm he suffered while getting ready for a combat in opposition to Stipe Miocic in 2023. With the division held up for a complete yr whereas Jones recovered, the UFC instituted an interim title, which Apsinall gained by way of a quick-fire end over Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295.
‘Bones’ returned in 2024 and handily defeated Miocic, setting the stage for a bout between himself and Aspianll, who had already defended the interim belt as soon as in opposition to Curtis Blaydes.
In line with a number of studies, Jones had requested for an obscene amount of cash, which the UFC allegedly agreed to. Sadly, the combat by no means got here to fruition after Jones opted to again out solely and introduced his “retirement” from preventing altogether.
The choice left White understandably pissed off after he’d virtually assured followers that Jones vs. Aspinall would occur in 2025.
Now that Jones has unretired and is actively campaigning to combat Alex Pereira on the UFC’s anticipated occasion on the White Home in June, ‘Bones’ is desperately attempting to bury the hatchet with White.
