{"id":129353,"date":"2025-09-09T04:29:09","date_gmt":"2025-09-09T04:29:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/129353\/"},"modified":"2025-09-09T04:29:09","modified_gmt":"2025-09-09T04:29:09","slug":"chael-sonnen-questions-jon-jones-motives-in-pursuit-of-ufc-white-house-main-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/129353\/","title":{"rendered":"Chael Sonnen Questions Jon Jones\u2019 Motives In Pursuit Of UFC White House Main Event"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Jon Jones retirement saga appears far from finished. At the UFC Baku post-fight press conference, Dana White officially announced Jones\u2019 retirement and upgraded Tom Aspinall to undisputed heavyweight champion. Just a day later, \u2018Bones\u2019 himself confirmed the decision, declaring he was putting the gloves down for good. But in true Jones fashion, the story didn\u2019t end there. Following Donald Trump\u2019s blockbuster announcement that the UFC would visit the White House in 2026, the consensus MMA GOAT<\/a> quickly backtracked.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Jones revealed he had re-entered the UFC\u2019s drug testing pool and expressed a desire to represent his country at the historic event. He even declared his willingness to face whoever holds the heavyweight belt by then. However, White made it clear he was done playing along. The UFC president stated openly that he no longer trusts Jones to headline for the promotion, instead throwing his support behind Conor McGregor. And it seems White isn\u2019t alone. Former middleweight title contender and outspoken analyst Chael Sonnen has echoed the boss\u2019s stance in a bold take.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Chael Sonnen Calls Out Jon Jones for Avoiding Tom Aspinall and Shoots Down Comeback Claims<\/p>\n

Jones recently appeared at the MTV Video Music Awards in a whole new cowboy look and spoke about his fighting career. He said, \u201cI am not retired, I\u2019m actively training five days a week and I\u2019m in the UFC\u2019s drug testing pool,\u201d Jones said on the VMA red carpet.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He then added that it\u2019s up to Dana White to decide if he wants him back inside the cage or not. \u201cI don\u2019t really know [about the White House card], it\u2019s kind of out of my control right now. I\u2019m training for the event, I\u2019ll be ready for the event. That\u2019s my goal. But ultimately, it\u2019s up to the boss.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is after White claimed that there was a billion-to-one chance that Jones would ever return to the Octagon. And this is something Chael Sonnen supports, questioning Jones\u2019 intentions to pick up the gloves again as he did not fight Aspinall when he had to in order to unify the 265lbs crown.\u00a0<\/p>\n

On a recent episode of his Good Guy\/Bad Guy<\/a> podcast, Chael Sonnen didn\u2019t hold back when discussing Jon Jones\u2019 latest return saga.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf Jon says that he\u2019s back and he was never injured, he was never ill\u2026 he just didn\u2019t want to fight Tom Aspinall,\u201d Sonnen said. \u201cThat\u2019s the part to me that\u2019s a little bit weird. He\u2019s playing this as though that retirement never happened, as opposed to this is a comeback.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sonnen went on to question Jones\u2019 true intentions and whether he is interested in fighting Aspinall or not. \u201cIf you\u2019re coming back, what are you coming back for? What is it that you\u2019re coming back to? And is it just an open slate to admit anything? Anyone except that guy, that guy over there in England\u2026 Anybody but him. Is that how we\u2019re supposed to interpret this?\u201d<\/p>\n

He also dismissed Jones\u2019 claims of training five times a week, pointing out that no one has publicly admitted to working with him. This isn\u2019t the first time Sonnen has gone after Jones. The former champion hasn\u2019t fought since UFC 309, when he defended the heavyweight title against a 42-year-old Stipe Miocic<\/a>, despite Tom Aspinall being the clear No. 1 contender.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udea8 Jon Jones says he is NOT retired and is training 5 days a week for the UFC White House event<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not retired, I\u2019m actively training 5 days a week and I\u2019m in the UFC\u2019s drug testing pool\u2026<\/p>\n

I\u2019m training for the [White House] event, I\u2019ll be ready for the event\u2026 but\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/dS6r3uBiYZ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) September 8, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

His drawn-out negotiations for the Aspinall fight, followed by pulling out at the last moment, only added to the frustration for both fans and White.<\/p>\n

Sonnen doubled down during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show just a few days ago. \u201cIt\u2019s not going to be anyone that\u2019s been retired,\u201d Sonnen said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He added, \u201cNo one is going to take those glorious spots, except for the people who earned them by showing their loyalty back to the industry, to the company. Jon does not deserve to have a main event spot on the White House card.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>April 12, 2025, Miami, Florida, USA: DANA WHITE, ELON MUSK and his son with President Donald Trump attends UFC 314 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, Saturday, April 12, 2025. Miami, Florida USA \u2013 ZUMAz03_ 20250412_shc_z03_362 Copyright: xWhitexHousex<\/p>\n

While Sonnen\u2019s stance may seem harsh, it\u2019s rooted in fact. Jones nearly made the UFC and fans wait for a year, reportedly demanded $30 million, a sum Helwani claims was accepted, but still pulled out, ruining what White once called \u201cthe biggest heavyweight bout in UFC history.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, the focus has shifted. The world seems ready to move on, with Tom Aspinall set to make his first defense of the undisputed heavyweight crown at UFC 321 against Ciryl Gane<\/a> in October, finally bringing stability and momentum back to the division.<\/p>\n