Home / Sports / UFC Star Jon Jones Rejoins Anti-Doping Pool, Hints at Comeback
UFC Star Jon Jones Rejoins Anti-Doping Pool, Hints at Comeback
4 Jul
Summary
- Jon Jones, former UFC champion, re-entered the promotion's anti-doping testing pool
- Jones announced his retirement just 2 weeks ago, but now says he's keeping "options open"
- Potential 2026 UFC event at the White House may be motivation for Jones' return
In a surprising turn of events, former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has re-entered the promotion's anti-doping testing pool, just two weeks after announcing his retirement from the sport.
According to Jones' posts on X (formerly Twitter), his motivation for the move appears to be a potential 2026 UFC event at the White House, which was recently teased by President Donald Trump. "Fighting at the White House?" Jones wrote, before announcing his return to the testing pool, stating, "Just re-entered the testing pool, that lasted for about two weeks. 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. The UFC's anti-doping policy requires athletes who retire to give 180 days' notice before resuming competition, but the promotion can grant an exemption.
Jones last competed at UFC 309 in November, where he defended the heavyweight title against former champion Stipe Miocic. With Jones' initial retirement, UFC CEO Dana White announced that Tom Aspinall was elevated from interim to undisputed champion. The news of Jones' potential comeback comes just days after reports of his alleged involvement in a hit-and-run incident.
