Once the golden boy of UFC boss Dana White and Co., former heavyweight champion Jon Jones now finds himself struggling to stay relevant in the fight game. That reality became even clearer at the end of UFC 318, when media members asked Dana White about Jones’ future. White didn’t hold back, stating, “I just can’t risk putting him in big positions…especially the White House card,” despite having promised fans the “best UFC card ever.”

And a large part of that is on Jon Jones himself. For years, he’s been a headache for Dana White, who’s always prided himself on delivering for the fans. Earlier this year, White assured the public that a bout between Jones and Tom Aspinall would “100%” happen. But ‘Bones’ stalled the division, while Aspinall waited over 500 days for a title shot. After holding things up for so long, Jones abruptly announced his retirement. Now, Dana White is understandably reluctant to gamble on him again. These days, the former champion appears to have moved on from the UFC altogether.

Jon Jones turns heads after choosing Conor McGregor’s competitor over UFC Abu Dhabi

Dana White’s recent remarks reportedly struck a nerve, prompting Jon Jones to post a message on X hinting that he felt “disappointed” by the comments. Despite that, ‘Bones’ made it clear he’s “already in the UFC’s drug testing pool,” is “training like a professional,” and remains fully committed to fighting—even stating he’d be “ready to fight on July 4th” next year. However, that message seemed to fall on deaf ears, and for now, Jones appears to have moved on from a UFC comeback.

Just days before UFC Abu Dhabi, fans spotted Jon Jones in Dubai. But instead of staying for the blockbuster event, he jetted off to Moscow to attend the Russian version of Conor McGregor’s rival bare-knuckle promotion — the IBA Bare Knuckle event, hosted at Life Arena.

In an Instagram post alongside IBA President Alfredo Auditore, ‘Bones’ shared an update with fans: “What’s up, guys? This is UFC heavyweight champion of the world, Jon Bones Jones, and I’m here in Moscow attending the IBA Bare Knuckle tomorrow at Life Arena with the one and only Alf. Let’s go, baby. Let’s go.” And it looks like he’s having a good time. A clip posted by Red Corner MMA showed Jon Jones embracing the moment—even breaking into the viral “aura farming” dance, a move made famous by 11-year-old Rayyan Arkan Dikha, who shot to fame after flexing his aura while dancing on a boat.

But Jon Jones didn’t stop there. In his Instagram story, he praised the Moscow-based promotion, calling it a “great promotion”—subtly hinting that it might one day rival or even overshadow Conor McGregor’s own venture as serious competition.

Michael Bisping pushes for Jon Jones and Conor McGregor to headline UFC White House spectacle

Ever since Donald Trump announced in Iowa on July 3 that he’s ready to hand over the White House to Dana White & Co. for the 250th American anniversary celebration next year, the MMA world has been buzzing. The bold declaration even pulled Conor McGregor and Jon Jones out of the shadows, both of whom had been largely inactive inside the Octagon and quiet on social media.

At this point, fans have almost forgotten what it feels like to watch McGregor in full form — trash-talking, fighting, and backing it up. Both he and Jon Jones have called it a “dream fight,” but Dana White no longer seems keen to invest in either star. And it’s not hard to see why — ‘Bones’ has repeatedly disappointed the UFC brass, while Conor McGregor, after months of hype ahead of UFC 303, withdrew at the last minute due to a pinky toe injury.

Still, not everyone has given up hope. UFC legend Michael Bisping recently shared his thoughts on his YouTube channel, saying: “If there’s one fight, and there’s one location that Jon Jones would come out of retirement for, we just might get to see the greatest heavyweight fight of all time, if that is, Tom only just scrapes by Ciryl Gane. I think Jones would come out of retirement, and that would be the main event at the White House. Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall. England vs. U.S.A. all over again.”

Even with Dana White’s clear reluctance, many fans and MMA veterans are still backing Jon Jones for a possible showdown at the UFC’s White House event. What do you think? Drop your opinion below.