He actually did it. Jon Jones walked into Madison Square Garden on November 16, 2024, and proved that even after years of layoffs and a torn pectoral tendon, he’s still the most dangerous human being to ever step into an Octagon. If you missed the pay-per-view, you missed a masterclass. Most people thought Stipe Miocic—the consensus greatest heavyweight of all time—would at least make it a gritty, five-round war. Instead, Jones finished him with a spinning back kick that looked like something out of a movie.
It was brutal.
But the fight itself is only half the story. Since that night, the MMA world has been a chaotic mess of "he's retired" and "no, wait, he's back." If you’re trying to keep track of Jon Jones most recent fight and where things stand today in early 2026, you’ve come to the right place. We’re going to break down the UFC 309 slaughter and the bizarre "White House" rumors currently floating around.
The Night Stipe Miocic Met the Spinning Back Kick
UFC 309 was supposed to be a legacy fight. A "thank you for your service" moment for two legends. Jon Jones, the heavyweight champion, vs. Stipe Miocic, the guy with the most heavyweight title defenses in history.
Round one was a wake-up call for anyone who thought Jon was "washed." Within minutes, Jones landed a beautifully timed trip, dumped Stipe on the canvas, and spent the rest of the round raining down those trademark "hellbows." Stipe survived, but he looked like he’d been through a car wreck by the time he stood up.
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By the third round, it was clear Stipe’s 42-year-old body just couldn't keep up with the creativity. Jones was mixing in head kicks and punches from a southpaw stance, basically playing with his food. Then, at 4:29 of the third round, it happened. Jones threw a spinning back kick that landed flush on Stipe’s ribs. You could actually hear the impact. Miocic crumbled, the ref stepped in, and the GOAT stayed the GOAT.
Right there in the cage, with Donald Trump and Elon Musk watching from the front row, Jones did the "Trump dance" and looked like a man who was ready to walk away forever. Stipe, a class act to the end, announced his retirement on the spot.
Why the Heavyweight Title is Currently a Mess
Here’s where it gets weird. After beating Miocic, Jon Jones basically spent the next few months playing cat-and-mouse with the UFC. He didn't want to fight the interim champion, Tom Aspinall.
Aspinall is the terrifying Brit who has been knocking everyone out in under two minutes. Fans were screaming for a unification bout. Jones, ever the strategist, basically said, "Nah, I've got nothing to prove against him."
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Then, in June 2025, Jones officially vacated the title and said he was retired. He was done. The MMA world moved on. Tom Aspinall was promoted to the undisputed champion. But if you know Jon "Bones" Jones, you know "retired" is a very loose term.
The Retirement U-Turn and the 2026 White House Card
Guess who's back in the drug testing pool? Yep. As of January 2026, the retirement is officially over.
The catalyst wasn't Aspinall, though. It was a weird, almost surreal announcement about a potential UFC event at the White House—part of a massive cultural push by the current administration. Suddenly, Jones is interested again. But he doesn't want the heavyweight belt back from Aspinall. He wants a "super-fight."
Specifically, he wants Alex "Poatan" Pereira.
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Why Jones vs. Pereira is the Only Fight He Wants
- Legacy over Rankings: Jones knows beating Aspinall just proves he can beat a young lion. Beating Pereira, a two-division champ and the scariest striker in the world, cements him as the undisputed king of combat.
- The Weight Class: This would likely be at Heavyweight, but Pereira has been vocal about wanting that third belt.
- The Payday: A "White House" card featuring the two biggest stars in the sport would be the highest-selling PPV in history.
Honestly, the UFC is in a tough spot. Dana White has spent the last month telling the media he's not interested in the Pereira fight because Aspinall is the "rightful" opponent. But money talks. If Jones refuses to fight Aspinall and only wants Pereira, we might see the most massive "money fight" ever made later this year.
What You Should Actually Expect Next
If you’re a betting person, don’t hold your breath for Jones vs. Aspinall. Jon is 38 now. He knows his body is a ticking time bomb of injuries. He’s looking for the highest reward with the most historical significance.
The latest reports suggest that negotiations for the June 2026 card are intensifying. Whether it actually happens at the White House or just a massive stadium in D.C., that is where Jon Jones will likely make his true final appearance.
If you want to stay ahead of the curve on this, start watching Alex Pereira’s social media. He’s already started training with heavyweights. That’s usually the first sign that a contract has been signed in private.
To prepare for the next wave of news, keep an eye on the official UFC athlete rankings. If Jones' name reappears in the pound-for-pound top five without a belt next to it, the "Super Fight" is 100% on. You can also monitor the USADA (or the current DFS testing) database; a spike in Jones' testing frequency usually precedes a fight announcement by exactly three months. Once the promo packages start dropping for the "Summer Super-show," expect ticket prices to hit levels we've never seen in MMA.