“He reached out. He sent a text saying, ‘Listen, sorry how this all played out’ or whatever. ‘I want to fight at the White House—I’m serious about that,’” Dana White revealed to Sirius XM’s Zach Gelb, speaking about Jon Jones reaching out to him. The UFC White House has become a prized event that fighters are willing to do anything to be part of. Aside from Conor McGregor, former heavyweight champ Jon Jones showed the most interest. However, it seems the UFC head honcho has already picked a favorite.
Now, the “UFC White House” showcase is still nearly a year away, but you wouldn’t know it listening to Dana. He’s already promoting the card like it’s booked for tomorrow. And when pressed on who he sees headlining? White didn’t blink: “Conor is the guy.” That one line sent shockwaves across the MMA world — not because McGregor doesn’t sell, but because it revealed the gap in trust between two legends: Jon Jones and Conor McGregor.
Michael Bisping opens up about Dana White choosing Conor McGregor over Jon Jones
In the Believe You Me Podcast, Bisping said, “But if there’s someone that doesn’t have the motivation to fight. Doesn’t need to fight, has all the money, has ticked all the boxes, he has won the belts, and became a simultaneous double champion. And, he’s worth 100’s of Millions of dollars, and he’s no longer running for the president of Ireland. It’s Conor McGregor. He doesn’t need to fight, but he’s fighting at the White House. He’s gonna be the main event vs Michael Chandler at the White House. Dana doesn’t trust Jon Jones, but he trusts McGregor.”
Paul Felder didn’t hesitate to chime in: “That tells you a lot about one person, Jon Jones. If they are trusting Conor over you, that’s saying something.” Neither he nor Michael Bisping elaborated further, but the UFC veterans were clearly highlighting how Jon Jones disappointed Dana White by not taking the Tom Aspinall fight. White had promised that the fight would happen, and when it failed to materialize, it clearly hurt him.
Because of that, Dana White seems to view McGregor as the safer option—at least from a business perspective. However, there’s a twist! If ‘The Notorious One’ wants to make his comeback, the price to bring him back into the Octagon would be enormous. But, he’s demanding such a staggering amount that it could put Dana White in a tough spot—if he’s truly serious.
‘The Notorious One’ demands $200M for his White House fight
Conor McGregor is already one of the richest athletes in the world. He has generated millions of dollars for the UFC—and for himself—by putting on unforgettable spectacles. In 2017, the Irishman earned his first $100 million payday by facing Floyd Mayweather in a boxing match. Now, as he seemingly prepares to make his return at the White House event, his demands have reached unprecedented heights.
Taking to X, McGregor posted: “$100 million to fight at the White House, along with 100 U.S. ‘Golden Visas’ for myself, family, and friends. I look very forward to entertaining the fighting world once again. A pleasure I never take for granted.”
Yes, you read that right. $200 million in total demands — half cash, half perks. If somehow granted, McGregor would instantly become the highest-paid fighter in history for a single event, eclipsing even his $100M payday against Mayweather in 2017.
With that being said, do you think the UFC will actually see Conor McGregor return at the White House over Jon Jones? Or could the situation change over the next year? Let us know in the comments below.