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Andreas Hell
multiple authors
LAS VEGAS – The UFC’s highly anticipated White House event – dubbed UFC Freedom Fights 250 – was missing two major names who had lobbied to compete: john jones And conor mcgregor.
McGregor was hoping to face michael chandler While Jones sought to face a two-division champion alex perera. Chandler and Pereira are both on the card but against different opponents, with Chandler facing mauricio rafi and in an interim heavyweight title fight against Pereira Cyril Gane.
UFC CEO Dana White addressed the absence of both fighters with the media after UFC 326.
Even though White had repeatedly rejected the idea of Jones being on the card, the former heavyweight and light heavyweight champion suggested last week that he was in talks to fight at the White House.
“The Jon Jones thing is bullish,” White said. “I’m not saying they weren’t talking to Jon Jones and Jon Jones wasn’t interested in the fight. What was even weirder was Jon Jones came out and said, ‘I’m negotiating for a White House card right now,’ even though I had already sent a message to his lawyer saying, ‘That’s never going to happen.'”
White even said that Jones is still retired and there is no chance of him fighting at the White House or any other UFC event in the future.
White said, “Never, ever — as I told you guys 100,000 times — did Jon Jones ever have even the slightest thought in his mind about fighting for the White House.” “She’s got arthritis in her hips. Apparently, her doctors have said she needs a hip replacement.”
As for McGregor, White isn’t slamming the door on a comeback. Instead, he said talks were ongoing with the Irish star to return to the Octagon, but things did not work out at the White House.
“We’re definitely talking to Connor,” White said.
When asked about a possible timeline for McGregor’s return, White said that they were “not even close” to setting a schedule for him to compete.
McGregor hasn’t fought in over five years since Jones last fought stipe miocic In November 2024.
