A UFC Super Fight At The White House? Jon Jones and Alex Pereira Want To Make History
The heavyweight division’s supposed marquee moment at UFC 321 turned into a farce Saturday night, and now two of the sport’s biggest names want to clean up the mess with a super fight that would make history.
Tom Aspinall retained his heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane, but not in any way anyone wanted to see. An accidental eye poke turned what should’ve been a defining moment into a frustrating no-contest, leaving fans furious and the division in limbo. Within hours, former champion Jon Jones seized the moment—trolling Aspinall on social media with an eyepatch added to his duck avatar before throwing down a challenge that has the MMA world buzzing.
Jones Emerges From Retirement Talk
Jones, who walked away from the sport earlier in 2025 rather than face Aspinall, suddenly seems interested in fighting again. But not against the guy holding the belt. Instead, he’s targeting light heavyweight king Alex Pereira for a potential showdown at the UFC’s planned White House event in June 2026.
“Alex, I’d be down to bring the highest skill level to the White House,” Jones posted on X Saturday. “I appreciate the respect you showed, let’s dance.”
It’s classic Jones—equal parts promotional genius and strategic calculation. He’s essentially saying he’ll return to the octagon, just not for the fight everyone actually wants to see. The timing feels deliberate, capitalizing on the disappointment from UFC 321 while offering fans something they didn’t know they needed.
Pereira Ready to Move Up
Pereira isn’t just talking. The Brazilian knockout artist defended his light heavyweight crown against Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320, and immediately afterward, he made his intentions clear. He wants Jones, and he wants to “make the heavyweight division great again”—a not-so-subtle nod to the political setting of their proposed venue.
What makes this callout legitimate is that Pereira actually considered challenging Jones at UFC 320 but held back out of respect. Jones’s brother, Arthur, had recently passed away, and Pereira instead led a moment of silence after his win. Jones expressed his gratitude for Pereira’s gesture.
Dana White caught wind of Pereira’s heavyweight ambitions before UFC 320 and seemed cautiously open to the idea. “I like the guy so much, we’ll see,” White said. “I just don’t see why unless he wants to retire. Why throw him at heavyweight? It doesn’t make any sense other than he just wants to do it so bad, I’ll just say yes.”
The White House Card Complication
Here’s where things get tricky. President Donald Trump announced plans for a UFC event at the White House on June 14, 2026. It’s an unprecedented opportunity for the promotion, but White has legitimate concerns about booking Jones as the main event.
Jones’s history speaks for itself—multiple arrests, failed drug tests, and personal issues that have derailed big moments before. White doesn’t trust him enough to headline what could be the most high-profile card in UFC history. Can you blame him? The last thing anyone wants is for Jones to sabotage an event of this magnitude.
But if you’re looking at this purely from a fighting perspective, Jones versus Pereira is the kind of super fight that transcends divisions. Jones is widely considered the greatest fighter of all time, even with all the baggage. Pereira has knockout power that can end fights in an instant and the kind of presence that makes casual fans pay attention.
What This Means for the Division
The real casualty here might be Aspinall. The guy’s the actual heavyweight champion, yet he’s being treated like an afterthought. Jones retired rather than fight him, and now he’s calling out a light heavyweight instead. It’s disrespectful, but it’s also business. The UFC has been reluctant to book Jones versus Aspinall for reasons that probably have more to do with money and marketability than anything else.
Pereira moving up creates fascinating questions. He’s already conquered two weight classes—middleweight and light heavyweight. Adding heavyweight would put him in rare company. But is he big enough? Can his frame handle the size difference against true heavyweights? Against Jones specifically, the technical chess match would be incredible, but the physical mismatch could be real.
Final Thoughts
This entire situation captures everything wild about modern MMA. You’ve got a disappointing title fight ending in controversy, a retired legend trolling the current champion while calling out someone from a different weight class, and the possibility of it all happening at the White House. It’s chaos, but it’s the kind of chaos that makes combat sports compelling.
Whether White actually books this fight remains to be seen. Jones’s unpredictability is a legitimate concern, and Pereira’s willingness to move up in weight might not make long-term sense for his career. But it would be something absolutely special to watch unfold.
