Jon Jones is leaving the door open for a UFC return.
In the latest development in the bizarre retirement timeline of Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC), the former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion, says he has re-entered the promotion’s anti-doping testing pool. The move comes just two weeks after Jones, 37, announced he was walking away from the sport.
In a pair of posts on X (formerly Twitter), Jones’ motivation appears to be a potential 2026 UFC event at the White House, which president Donald Trump recently teased.
“Fighting at the White House?” Jones wrote on X. In the next post, Jones announced his return to the testing pool.
“Just re-entered the testing pool, that lasted for about two weeks,” Jones wrote. “Figured we’d keep everyone’s options open.”
Returning to the testing pool would allow for a quicker return to action, should Jones ever decide to fight again. According to the UFC anti-doping policy, any athlete who gives notice of retirement to the UFC, may not resume competition until giving the promotion notice of their intent to return and themself available for testing for 180 days. However, the UFC can grant an exemption.
According to the UFC ADP website, Jones has been tested twice in 2025. “Bones” was tested five times in 2024 and 13 times in 2023.
Jones last fought at UFC 309 in November, where he defended the heavyweight title against former champion Stipe Miocic. With Jones’ retirement, UFC CEO Dana White announced that Tom Aspinall was elevated from interim to undisputed champion. In the days following Jones’ retirement, news broke of his involvement in an alleged hit-and-run incident, in which Jones appeared to implicate himself.