It marked a big shift in sentiment for White, who had nothing but praise for Jones before his retirement. Now, Jones has replied to his comeback wishes being dashed against the rocks.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Brad Penner-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
Taking to X after the news, Jones explained ‘I’ll be ready,’ for whatever’s next.<\/p>\n
“I heard the comments made at last night’s press conference,” Jones wrote. “While I was a little disappointed, I’m still in the UFC’s drug testing pool, staying sharp, and continuing to train like a professional. I’ll be ready for whatever comes next.<\/p>\n
“In a recent interview, I shared that the opportunity to fight at the White House gave me something deeper to fight for, a ‘why’ that goes beyond paychecks or belts. Fighting for my country gives me a greater purpose!<\/p>\n
The silver lining in all this is knowing the fans see my heart. They see, I am ready and willing to take on anyone, to represent my country on a historic stage. For me, it\u2019s never been just about the opponent. I\u2019m chasing legacy, something timeless, something bigger than the moment.<\/p>\n
So for now, I\u2019ll keep grinding, stay patient, and stay faithful. I\u2019m ready to fight on July 4th.”<\/p>\n
I heard the comments made at last night\u2019s press conference. While I was a little disappointed, I\u2019m still in the UFC\u2019s drug testing pool, staying sharp, and continuing to train like a professional. I\u2019ll be ready for whatever comes next.<\/p>\n
In a recent interview, I shared that the\u2026<\/p>\n
\u2014 Jonny Meat (@JonnyBones) July 20, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Jones notoriously retired on the back of a long streak of inactivity. He captured the heavyweight title in March 2023, before sitting out for over a year with injury. Tom Aspinall won the interim title in Jones’ absence, but ‘Bones’ kept Aspinall waiting for well over 500 days.<\/p>\n The controversial champion chose not to retire following a squash match against Stipe Miocic in November 2024, holding onto the title until June 2025, when he quietly retired, handing the belt over to Aspinall to become the undisputed king.<\/p>\n Stick with\u00a0MMAKnockout<\/a>\u00a0for more\u00a0FREE coverage\u00a0of the UFC, MMA, Boxing. Follow MMAKnockout on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0Twitter<\/a>, and\u00a0Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n