Jon Jones is “retired” in the way that only Jon Jones can be: technically out, but still looming over the UFC like the final boss that no one can stop talking about. He moved away after turning down a large offer to fight Tom Aspinall, then casually re-entered the drug-testing pool as the UFC White House card started sounding real. Despite reports that Dana White is fed up with Jones’ unreliability, ‘Bones’ continues to do what he does best: insert himself into the biggest conversations.

Meanwhile, Alex Pereira is moving like a man seeking the biggest name, not the easiest fight. He reclaimed the light heavyweight title, regained his momentum, and is now leaning back into spectacle—not just asking for Jones, but aiming for him. His recent move wasn’t a standard callout but a planned scene. And once it appeared on Jones’ feed, the response stopped feeling playful instantly.

Jon Jones responds to Pereira’s stunt with a cold warning

Alex Pereira’s video appeared to be simple, but it was actually as calculated as it could be. ‘Poatan’ returned to the tire shop where he used to work, a site that immediately reminds people that he wasn’t always a star. Speaking in Portuguese, he dropped his usual signature, “Chama,” but the camera then shifted to the true punchline: a tire with “Next Jones” painted across it in white paint.

Jon Jones’ response? He uploaded the video to his Instagram story, which counts as an acknowledgement, then followed up with his own message. And that’s when the tone turned from hype to threat. ‘Bones’ went straight to the part of Pereira’s identity that carries weight in MMA: Brazil’s legacy.

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“I beat a lot of legends from your country, my friend. I know you’ve got to avenge your boys, but boy, would you be a good one to add to my list,” Jones said in his follow-up Instagram story. That’s not just trash talk for fun.

Jon Jones is reminding ‘Poatan’ that he has fought elite Brazilians, defeated icons, including Alex Pereira’s friend and mentor, Glover Teixeira, and views “Poatan” as another name that may go up in his trophy room. But that’s not all, as he ended it with a line that felt almost cinematic: “Be careful what you wish for, Chama.”

The weirdest aspect is that the fight still makes no clean sense right now. ‘Bones’ is no longer the heavyweight champion, and Pereira moving up without a title shot feels like a gamble. Additionally, Jones’ relationship with the UFC is said to be so strained that Dana White wants to keep him away from the White House card entirely.

But none of it stops the fantasy from growing, because times like this aren’t about contracts; they are about ego. Pereira sells destiny: a tire shop worker chasing the biggest name alive. Jones is selling inevitability: the greatest of all time reminds another star that wishing for him might be the last mistake they ever make. THAT’S the storyline that sells tickets, and maybe Dana White’s finally realizing that too.

Dana White reignites the hope for a Jon Jones vs. Alex Pereira superfight

For weeks, UFC CEO Dana White seemed to want nothing to do with Jon Jones on the White House card. But he’s no longer turning it down with a firm “no.” Instead, he’s talking about it as if it’s a real option, although one with a huge warning label.

In an interview with Complex, White practically admitted the matchup is ridiculous in the best way. “At 205 lbs? That would be a fight,” he said. Then came the part that explained everything: White did not question Alex Pereira’s side of it. He questioned the one thing that always accompanied Jones: trust.

“But can I count on Jon Jones? Can’t have Jon Jones doing something bad or pulling out of the f—– White House fight.” Even so, that reluctance is a sign of optimism. Because if White actually didn’t want it, he would dismiss it right away.

Instead, he’s openly weighed it, which is all that keeps the optimism alive. With June 14 branded as a historic event, the head honcho of the promotion knows he wants a centerpiece that breaks through MMA bubbles—and Jones vs. Pereira at 205 may be the loudest headline he can possibly create.