Jones trains five days a week for 2026 White House UFC card

Jon Jones says he is training five days a week and has re-entered the UFC drug testing pool as he pushes for a return to the Octagon at a proposed UFC card at the White House in June 2026, but UFC president Dana White has expressed deep skepticism and a former rival openly questioned Jones's motives and training claims. The dispute underscores lingering questions about Jones's sudden retirement in June and the stalled heavyweight unification bout with Tom Aspinall that preceded it.

Jones retired this past June after months of negotiations between the UFC, Aspinall and Jones's camp over a heavyweight title unification. Aspinall was later promoted to undisputed heavyweight champion and is scheduled to fight at UFC 321 next month. Jones has since backtracked on his retirement, telling attendees at the MTV Video Music Awards and in other interviews that he is "not retired," is training full time and hopes to be included on the once-in-a-lifetime White House card if Dana White will have him. "I'm actively training five days a week and I'm in the UFC's drug testing pool," Jones said. "I'm training for the event. I'll be ready for the event. That's my goal. But ultimately it's up to...