Andrew Ravens
The fallout from the official UFC White House card announcement has reached a boiling point, with Jon Jones requesting a full release from his contract. After months of lobbying for a heavyweight superfight against Alex Pereira on the South Lawn, “Bones” was noticeably absent when the promotion unveiled the “UFC Freedom 250” lineup during the UFC 326 broadcast this past weekend.
Instead, the UFC booked Pereira against Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title. Despite their legendary feud, Daniel Cormier admits the situation probably stings his longtime rival.
“I kind of felt bad for him,” Cormier admitted on his YouTube channel. “I felt bad for Jon, because it just seemed like he wanted to fight on that card, bad. I think this is kind of like a come-to-Jesus moment. At 38, 39, he’s got bad hips and injuries, and it looks like he’s on his way out. They’re kind of like, ‘You’re not going to prove value for me in the long term, so I don’t think we need to bend over for you anymore.’ It’s crazy.”
The relationship between Jones and UFC brass has plummeted to an all-time low. Following the reveal, UFC CEO Dana White was blunt during the post-fight press conference, stating that Jones was “never, ever, ever” in consideration for the White House card.
Daniel Cormier offers Jon Jones bad news about UFC release request
White went so far as to declare Jones essentially retired, citing a viral video where Jones discussed his arthritic hips as proof he is physically done. In a response on X, Jones fired back, claiming he was in “real negotiations” as recently as last Friday but was “lowballed” with an offer he found disrespectful. “If the UFC truly feels like I’m done, then I respectfully ask to be released from my contract today,” Jones wrote. “No more spins, no more games.”
However, Cormier believes Jones is wasting his breath with the request for freedom. According to “DC,” the UFC’s business strategy makes a contract release virtually impossible, primarily due to the threat of Jones competing under a rival banner such as Most Valuable Promotions or fighting Francis Ngannou.
“There’s no way you can release Jones, because then Jones and Francis [Ngannou] can be made outside of the UFC, that’s you giving someone power,” Cormier explained. “You can’t let him go. There’s no way that he could actually fight anywhere else or be released. I don’t think he’s getting released.”
