Joe Rogan wants one thing, and he’s saying it loud: Jon Jones needs to fight at the UFC White House card and, in Rogan’s words, anything short of that would be a “travesty.”
Jones has already made it clear that he’s willing to pause retirement if it means competing at the historic event. “Bones” even said he’d fight Alex Pereira under the main event just to be on the card. However, UFC CEO Dana White has been hesitant, pointing to Jones’ legal history and the breakdown in talks with Tom Aspinall that left the heavyweight division stuck in limbo.
On a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, Rogan didn’t hold back. He believes the UFC can’t afford to miss out on the opportunity.
“If they don’t do Jon Jones at the White House, I think it would be a travesty,” Rogan said. “They need to do that. C’mon! Dana’s like, ‘You can’t count on him.’ You can f*cking count on him. C’mon, stop. At the White House? C’mon!”
Rogan also pointed out how unusual the event will be for the athletes.
“A lot of weird pressure, too,” Rogan said. “All the security, the protocols, all that extra shit in your mind before you go out there. Also, you’re fighting outside. It’s hot. What if it’s hot and muggy? That’s going to affect people.”
Despite Dana White’s caution, Pereira’s interest might change things. After UFC 320, White admitted that even though he’d prefer Pereira to keep cleaning out light heavyweight, it’s hard to deny the man who always steps up for the company.
Ariel Helwani also reported that the internal hope is still Jon Jones vs. Alex Pereira on the White House lawn.
This isn’t the first time Rogan has pushed for Jones on the card. When Donald Trump and Dana White announced the historic White House event for the USA’s 250th anniversary, the UFC world immediately began speculating about the lineup. Trump even joked about having “eight or nine” title fights, something Rogan couldn’t resist teasing.
“There are only eight weight classes, so how’s there going to be nine title fights?” Rogan joked. “[In a Trump voice] ‘We’re gonna have 20 title fights!’”
Regardless of how stacked the card ends up being, Rogan insists Jones is the one fighter who must appear.
“If they don’t do Jon Jones at the White House… it would be a travesty,” Rogan doubled down.
The UFC White House event is scheduled for June 14, and if Rogan gets his way, Jon “Bones” Jones will be front and center.
