Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall offered contrasting reactions over the weekend as the UFC confirmed an interim heavyweight-title fight for the White House card.

During UFC 326 on Saturday, it was announced that Alex Pereira will face Ciryl Gane for the interim version of Aspinall’s belt at an unprecedented event on 14 June. The news came just days after Pereira vacated his light-heavyweight belt, as the Brazilian aims to become the first three-division champion in UFC history.

To achieve that feat, the former middleweight title-holder will need to overcome Gane, who faced Aspinall for the undisputed belt in October. On that night in Abu Dhabi, Gane’s multiple eye pokes forced a no-contest, with Aspinall unable to keep fighting. The British champion’s in-ring return is still up in the air after two eye surgeries, thus the UFC has made an interim-title fight.

And while Aspinall was understanding of the move, Jones – his predecessor as heavyweight champion – was seemingly distraught at missing out on a dream fight at the White House and against Pereira specifically.

When Aspinall was asked whether he felt Gane was being rewarded with a title fight despite his fouls five months ago, he said on his YouTube channel: “I mean, who else is gonna fight, though? The division is on its ass; there’s not may big fights to make, is there? So, they’ve got to do what they’ve got to do.

“Obviously I’m gonna fight the winner of that, so [I’m] just waiting now to be given the green light from the doctors to start training properly again. As soon as we can start training properly again, full contact in the gym, we will be getting a fight date booked to fight the winner. So, just waiting for the clearance, and then we go.”

But Jones posted a series of now-deleted tweets, in which he took issue with UFC president Dana White, who claimed on Saturday: “Never, ever, ever, which I told you guys 100,000 times, was Jon Jones ever remotely in my mind to fight at the White House.

“I’m not saying we weren’t talking to Jon Jones and Jon Jones wasn’t interested in the fight [but] what was even crazier was: Jon Jones came out and was like, ‘I’m in negotiations right now for the White House fight,’ after I sent a text to his lawyer saying: ‘Never gonna happen, ever.’” When asked if it is fair to say Jones is retired, White replied: “Yes, very fair.”

Jones reacted on X by writing: “I’m released from the UFC?!! If I would prove him wrong, would I be wrong? Or would [I] be a bigger man remaining silent.

“So all of this negotiating was complete bulls***, is that what you want me to agree to publicly? Man, how f***ing painful. Laying in my bed, wrapping my head around this perception. All I can think is how f***ing painful.”

Many consider Jones, a former light-heavyweight and heavyweight champion, the greatest fighter in UFC history. However, his career has been marred by numerous legal issues and failed drug tests. Furthermore, his reign as heavyweight champion – which began with a submission of Gane – proved highly controversial.

From November 2023 until July 2025, the American held the regular title while Aspinall possessed the interim belt simultaneously, yet Jones refused to fight the Briton.

Ultimately, Jones retired from mixed martial arts last summer and vacated his title, meaning Aspinall was elevated. Yet Jones immediately tried to reverse his retirement, as news broke that the UFC would stage a card at the White House this summer.