The UFC guards information like it’s classified intel, making the fans do all the tedious guesswork. And Jon Jones’ recent drug test fits that pattern perfectly. Yup, you heard that right. Drug tests are generally done by the UFC for fighters who are actively involved and fighting in the promotion. Following Jones’s retirement in June 2025, there have been a lot of rumors about his career coming to an end, but again in September 2025, Jones indicated he wasn’t fully retired and was training for a potential 2026 event at the White House.

That uncertainty aligns with the broader mystery surrounding the White House card itself, which Ari Emanuel recently confirmed is still being worked on, with “approximately six to seven fights” planned for the event. If all things are pointing in the right direction, there is a chance Jon Jones could feature on the ambitious card. Why might that be the case, you ask?

White House speculation grows as Jon Jones undergoes drug testing

A recent X post by UFC Drug Testing Watch might have made the hunch of the MMA fans a little stronger. The account tracks the drug testing of UFC athletes. And according to them: “Jon Jones was drug tested this week, Test #1 of 2026.”

Now, why is that positive news in relation to his return? Well, we’ll tell you. Jon Jones left the organization last year. And the UFC directly funds Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD), the independent entity that oversees the drug testing of its athletes from time to time.

The UFC pays Drug Free Sport International (DFSI) to conduct global, unannounced sample collections. And the costs for sample analysis at WADA-accredited laboratories, such as the Sports Medicine Research and Testing Laboratory (SMRTL), are covered by the promotion.

To the layman, it may not seem like much. But the fact that the UFC is still footing the bill and ensuring Jon Jones is being drug tested suggests the promotion may still have plans for the former champion. If they truly wanted nothing to do with him, why test him at all? For MMA fans, this should come as a small ray of sunshine. With his history of failed tests, the UFC likely wants to make sure that he is clean before any decision can be made on him.

On his part, Jon Jones has literally been begging Dana White to secure his spot at the White House event. Understandably, Dana White has been a bit hesitant as a result of Jones’ many personal issues over the years, with the trust seemingly broken between them. In a video that has gone viral in recent days, Jon Jones confirmed that while he wants to fight again, he is dealing with a notable injury.

“The UFC knows the extent of my arthritis,” Jones said. “They also know that if I were to put it all on the line one last time and endure that level of pain, the reward would have to be something special and something more than a fat payday. For me, that was and is still the White House.” Reports are that Jones’ injury is serious and he might need a hip replacement soon.

With this, as well as the callouts between Pereira and Jones continuing, there is a very good chance that the UFC is likely considering the former champ’s name for an upcoming event. But they are looking at many other stars at the moment so as to feature them on the card.

UFC’s White House card faces uncertainty amid star callouts and key restrictions

Jon Jones is definitely not the only UFC fighter looking to earn a spot in the White House event. Seems like a few UFC stars Conor McGregor, Jorge Masvidal, Michael Chandler, Justin Gaethje, Khamzat Chimaev, Islam Makhchev and Ilia Topuria, are Dana Whites favourite picks for the 14th June card.

From these fighters, Chandler and Gaethje have already been vocal and confident that they are on the card. Speculations are that Gaethje might be fighting Topuria, which brings us into a dilemma, as rumors were that Makhachev was about to be in a superfight with ‘El Matador’.

Also, Chimaev has been openly calling out the light heavyweight champion. “‘Let’s go White House,” Chimaev tweeted. “Don’t worry, I will finish you fast [Alex].” This brings us in a loop and forces us to wonder whether Pereira vs Jones is still a thing! But again, Merab Dvalishvili recently confirmed that his return will come in the form of a trilogy fight against the man who shockingly dethroned him in December, Petr Yan.

The Georgian star also noted that the UFC has already ruled out that matchup taking place at the White House due to the current champ’s nationality. “The UFC told me I’m next for the belt. They said there will be a trilogy between me and Yan,” Dvalishvili told MMA Pros Pick. “They also told me that our fight will not happen at the White House in June because (Yan) is Russian, and that’s impossible,” he added.

The existence of that particular regulation would create difficulties for Islam Makhachev and Khamzat Chimaev, who wanted to compete in the main event. The welterweight and middleweight champions both come from different Russian republics: Dagestan and Chechnya. Earlier speculation around the proposed UFC White House event leaned heavily toward excess.

Previously, veteran UFC commentator Jon Anik had suggested the historic White House card could be stacked with as many as seven title fights. That outlook has since shifted, with Ari Emanuel indicating the promotion is now targeting roughly six to seven bouts for the event overall, suggesting a more streamlined, carefully curated fight card rather than an overload of championship contests. So will Jon Jones feature there? We’ll have to wait and see.