Jon Jones recently reflected on how everything unfolded in the heavyweight division before he stepped away from competition, and he reached out to Dana White to apologize for the confusion that surrounded the title picture. The conversation surfaced after months of friction that followed Jones turning down a meeting with Tom Aspinall, who was holding the interim belt during Jones’ recovery.
The title eventually became vacant and Aspinall was moved to full champion status. That decision created tension between Jones and the UFC president, who felt Jones had shifted his stance during the negotiations. After some time to reevaluate, Jones expressed regret over the situation and tried to clear the air.
White says the apology is appreciated but not needed
Dana White has now responded. He made it clear that although he accepts the gesture, he never expected Jones to say sorry for anything that happened.
“Absolutely,” White shared his reaction during a conversation with TMZ Sports after being asked about Jones reaching out. “Listen, he doesn’t need to apologize to me for anything. You know, even through all the bad stuff that Jon and I have gone through, I still say that Jon Jones is the greatest of all time, because it is a fact.
“Everybody starts laughing when I say it,” he continued. “Jon Jones is the greatest of all time, period, end of story. I know it and everybody else knows it.
“There’s nothing for Jon to apologize about. Dealing with Jon over the last however many years has been a unique experience, I can tell you that. But it doesn’t change the fact he’s the best ever.”
Jones has also expressed a desire to participate in the upcoming UFC event at the White House. While White did not provide specifics about whether Jones will fight there, the apology does not impact his interest in the event, and it may influence future matchmaking decisions.
