Frustrated over not securing a spot on the upcoming UFC White House card, Conor McGregor compared himself and other fighters to “cattle”, claiming that Dana White & Co. use them whenever they want. Much of his frustration seems justified, as fans have eagerly awaited not just McGregor’s return but also Jon Jones, who has also hinted at ongoing “negotiations” with the UFC. However, the White House card surprisingly differed from everyone’s expectations.

Since its inception, the UFC has promoted itself as fan-focused, but it hasn’t always delivered. MMA followers expected to see big names like Conor McGregor and Jon Jones at the upcoming White House event, yet the card fell short. Because of this, ‘The Notorious’s viral rant exposed how the UFC prioritizes economic gain over showcasing its biggest stars, which, in turn, prompted UFC insider Ariel Helwani to question the organization’s leadership decisions.

UFC faces scrutiny following failed deals with Jon Jones, Conor McGregor

“We’re living in an era where some of the greatest fighters of all time are living and breathing, and they’re like, ‘Thanks, but no thanks. We don’t want to book you,'” said Ariel Helwani. “Could you imagine that? Remember at the beginning of last year? No, at the beginning of this year, I said we could be staring at a scenario in which Ronda Rousey, Jon Jones, and Conor McGregor are all fighting in the UFC in 2026.”

Eh, Ronda. Eh, Jon Jones. Who’s next? What has happened? What has happened? And so that’s why I guess I gave it the 9 out of 10, because I was like, ‘All right, well, you got Ilya,’ because I wasn’t expecting that.”

While many expected Conor McGregor to appear on the White House card on June 14, Ariel Helwani has repeatedly stated that the UFC plans to schedule the Irishman’s return in July so they can sell tickets. Since the White House event will have no ticket sales and the PPV model dropped after the Paramount partnership, Helwani expects McGregor to return during International Fight Week.

According to Helwani, McGregor’s return could be the real deal, but Dana White recently made it clear that any deal with Conor McGregor is “not even close.” Moreover, Helwani reported that the UFC initially offered Carlos Prates as ‘The Notorious’s opponent, which he accepted, but the organization later went in a “different direction” from that matchup.

As for Jon Jones, Dana White continues to express frustration with ‘Bones’ for failing to defend his title against Tom Aspinall and abruptly retiring from the UFC, which has made him distrust Jones.

Meanwhile, Ariel Helwani, whose reporting has remained reliable, revealed that the former heavyweight champ requested $15 million to face Alex Pereira at the White House event. However, as per Helwani, the UFC turned down the offer, causing failed negotiations and leaving Jones frustrated. Now, Helwani has stepped in to support Jon Jones, speaking out in his favor.

Dana White’s $15M Conor Benn fight draws Helwani’s ire

Earlier this year, in an effort to revive Zuffa Boxing, Dana White & Co. signed rising boxing star Conor Benn for $15 million for a single fight against Regis Prograis in a catchweight bout. However, Jon Jones made his own demands, and the UFC turned down the deal.

As a result, this decision drew criticism from Ariel Helwani. He defended Jon Jones and questioned why the undefeated MMA legend, renowned for his dominant wins over opponents like Daniel Cormier and as one of the 11 two-division champions in UFC history, received no consideration after more than 15 years. Helwani clearly stated his position:

“Jon Jones has every reason to be upset. In my opinion, Jon Jones is worth $30 million,” Helwani stated. “If Conor Benn, with all due respect, is getting $15 million to fight, Jon Jones is worth $30 million, and Conor McGregor is worth $75 million. If that’s the market value now, if that’s the ceiling, then those dudes are worth a hell of a lot because of everything they did over the past 10 years or so.

Like Conor Benn, Jon Jones ate the same in terms of drawing power, star power, and charisma. So what they’ve done now sets the new number. Because all these top fighters are saying, ‘Wait a second.’ And they’re saying, ‘Yeah, you can have that number too.’ But the problem is they all know that they’re way bigger stars. So I think they took these guys for fools or something like that.”

With the UFC keeping major names like Conor McGregor and Jon Jones on the sidelines, it seems like the organization is now, surprisingly, disconnected from its past historical decisions. So, what do you think? Share your thoughts below.