For months, fans have been raving about the possibility of Alex Pereira vs. Jon Jones, a match that might redefine the term “superfight.” The idea was given new life this week when ‘Poatan’ called out Jones once more, this time for the UFC’s rumored White House event in 2025. His message was brief, almost poetic in its simplicity: “Jon Jones. White House. Chama.” And as expected, it instantly went viral on social media.

But while the MMA community welcomed the idea, UFC CEO Dana White‘s past comments cast a shadow over the hype. The UFC CEO has made it clear that he does not want to include Jones in the White House lineup, citing “trust issues.” He stated that the card requires fighters he “can count on,” an obvious reference to Jones’ history of withdrawals and other issues. That did not sit well with everyone, particularly Chael Sonnen, who opted to criticize White for what he perceived as a “small” and unnecessary jab.

Chael Sonnen calls out Dana White for “small” act toward Jon Jones

Chael Sonnen took down the current situation on his YouTube channel with the kind of clarity that only he can provide: a combination of raw honesty and a fighter’s instincts. “It’s Jones versus the heavyweight champion. Who is Tom. Well, that’s not the case,” Sonnen said, referring to the previously scheduled Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall fight, which fell through after Jones vacated his belt. “But this is completely unforeseen, that ‘Poatan’ would want this match.”

‘The American Gangster’ emphasized the matchup’s uniqueness: no weight difference, no age gap, both men are evenly matched and were born in the same year. “All of a sudden, you don’t have a weight discrepancy. You don’t even have an age discrepancy,” Sonnen explained. “There’s nowhere you can turn and go, ‘That doesn’t make sense.’ Oh yeah. No, it makes a lot of sense.”

His message was simple: it’s unusual to find two titans who are so evenly matched, and the UFC should seize the opportunity. But Chael Sonnen’s most cutting words came when he directly addressed Dana White in his YouTube video. Referring to the head honcho’s justification for keeping Jon Jones off the White House card, he stated, “And then you got a position when you talk about, ‘I can’t trust Jon. I can’t put him on a card.’ That’s small.”

‘The American Gangster’ paused for emphasis before saying, “‘I can’t trust him. I can’t put him on a card.’ No, no. It’s just the, ‘I can’t trust him.’ That’s the part. So, you don’t have to trust a guy that’s not your champion.” In essence, Chael Sonnen accused White of taking a personal rather than professional stance.

The timing lends credence to Chael Sonnen’s complaint. Alex Pereira‘s callout has fans excited, but Dana White is unwilling to let Jones be a part of the event. The UFC has always thrived on big fights and dramatic moments, but this appears to be a rare instance in which the promotion is standing in the way.

Fans online have echoed Sonnen’s displeasure, as a bout with ‘Poatan’ could easily headline the White House card and become the decade’s defining battle. In fact, it seems like even other champions in the biggest MMA promotion in the world are interested in seeing the fight, as another fighter has given advice to Jon Jones on how to fix his relationship with Dana White.

Merab Dvalishvili‘s words of wisdom for Jon Jones

Merab Dvalishvili understands what it’s like to be on Dana White’s bad side, and to regain his trust. The bantamweight champion was once publicly mocked by the UFC CEO, but now he is one of his favorites. So when he says ‘Bones’ is on the right track, he speaks from experience. For Merab, Jones’ apology and effort to fix things with White show maturity, not desperation.

“Jon Jones is doing the right thing,” Merab explained. “He was apologizing to Dana. He wants to fight at the White House, and Jon knows it best. He’ll come back, he’ll fight, and Dana will be cool with him again.” It’s an uncommon show of solidarity from a fellow champion who has been through the same flames.

‘The Machine’ went from being labeled “so dumb it’s unbelievable” by Sean O’Malley, to setting title defense records, proving that time and performance can repair any rift. His advice to Jon Jones is simple: fight and win, and everything else will follow. “That’s how it always is,” Merab explained.

“When Jones comes back and wins his next fight, suddenly everything will be fixed.” For all of the drama surrounding the White House event, Merab Dvalishvili’s take serves as a reminder that in the UFC, redemption is just one victory away.