Dana
White isn’t changing his stance on Jon Jones. | Getty/UFC
Dana White isn’t changing his stance regarding Jon Jones’
potential participation in a
Ultimate Fighting Championship event at the White House.
The UFC CEO recently stated that he
couldn’t risk counting on Jones in such a significant moment
after “Bones” ended his short-lived retirement to re-enter the
promotion’s drug testing pool. At the
UFC 319 post-fight press conference, White took that sentiment
a step further.
“Let me ask you, what do you think Jon would do in the next couple
of months that would make me trust putting him on the White House
card?” White said. “So I already said that I don’t trust him, and
you’re asking me what could he do for me to trust him in the next
three months? You don’t trust him! I don’t talk to him either. I
haven’t talked to him at all. If I had to make odds, it’s a
billion-to-one that I put Jon Jones on
the White House card.”
White Trusts McGregor More Than Jones
Jones checkered history includes numerous arrests and failed drug
tests, which has resulted in a number of canceled bouts. Before
Jones retired, White had virtually guaranteed that the promotion
would book a heavyweight title unfication bout between “Bones” and
Tom
Aspinall. Of course, that didn’t come to fruition, though Jones
has indicated he will fight anyone if it means competing at the
White House.
During a recent appearance on the Jim Rome Show, White
revealed that he has more faith in Conor
McGregor, who hasn’t fought in more than four years, than he
has in Jones when it comes to potential UFC stars fighting at the
landmark event. McGregor has joined Jones in returning to the
anti-doping program following the UFC White House announcement
“I trust Conor,” White said last week. “Conor
McGregor has never, ever—unless he is seriously injured—this
guy has always delivered. Jon, I’m a little more skeptical about.”