Joe Rogan insists Jon Jones must fight at the UFC White House event despite Dana White’s concerns about Jones’ reliability, amidst plans for multiple championship fights at the event.
Joe Rogan’s got a strong opinion: Jon Jones has to fight at the UFC White House card.
Earlier this year, President Trump and UFC CEO Dana White announced a special event for the 250th anniversary of the U.S. It’s set for the White House lawn next summer.
Fans and fighters are buzzing about the card, especially after Trump said it would feature "eight or nine" championship fights. This drew a chuckle from Joe Rogan.
"First of all, there are only eight weight classes, so how’s there gonna be nine title fights? [Laughs]" Rogan quipped on his podcast. "[In a Trump voice] ‘We’re gonna have 20 title fights! All the title fights that’s ever been!’”
Actually, the UFC has 11 weight classes—eight for men, three for women, plus the "BMF" belt. Rogan’s point? It’s unlikely we’ll see that many title fights, given the record is three.
For Rogan, though, it’s not just about the title fights. It’s about making sure Jon Jones is part of the event.
“If they don’t do Jon Jones at the White House, I think it would be a travesty,” Rogan insisted. “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!”
Jones is eager to fight at the White House, even ending his brief retirement. Yet, Dana White remains skeptical, citing Jones’s reliability issues.
Still, plenty of fighters are eager to join the card. Big names like Islam Makhachev, Kayla Harrison, and Conor McGregor are making their case.
Rogan pointed out the unique challenges of fighting at the White House. “A lot of weird pressure, too,” he noted. “All the security and protocols, all that extra shit in your mind before you have to go out there and fight. …Also, you’re fighting outside. It’s hot. What if it’s hot and muggy? That’s going to affect people.”
“So who knows what’s going to happen?” Rogan wondered. “I guess they’ll probably have to have some sort of roof over it, but what if it’s 98 degrees outside? It’s June in Baltimore, Maryland, whatever that is. D.C. gets hot in the summer!”
Mark your calendars: UFC White House is happening on June 14.