Chael Sonnen Says Jon Jones Is ‘Missing the Point’ About a UFC Comeback

Chael Sonnen believes Jon Jones is completely missing the point when it comes to a potential return to the Octagon.

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) abruptly retired from competition earlier this year, bringing an end to the prolonged saga surrounding a possible title unification bout against then-interim champion Tom Aspinall.

Following Jones’s retirement, Aspinall was elevated to undisputed champion, and the heavyweight division appeared ready to move on without “Bones”, at least for a few weeks.

Jones quickly walked back his decision to step away from the sport after reports emerged that the UFC is planning to hold an event at the White House in 2026. He subsequently signaled his desire to compete on the historic card, an idea that UFC president Dana White dismissed almost immediately.

While Jones has continued to lobby for the opportunity to stage his comeback at the landmark event, Sonnen, who challenged Jones for the light heavyweight title in 2013, believes the former two-division champion is fundamentally missing the point.

“Jon Jones is going through a lot right now, and he’s kind of like Ilia (Topuria) where I like to give him a hand up and wish him well but he’s missing the point,” Sonnen told Ariel Helwani this week. “The company coming out and saying that they can’t trust him and then him making a demand that he will only fight on one card. That is what they’re saying: that we can’t trust you.

“Nobody gets to pick what card they come back on, they only come back for this. Jon’s doing his best, he’s just not very bright. He doesn’t understand that that’s what he’s doing. He’s trying to be a team player, going, “Man, I’ll fight anybody, I’ll fight (Tom) Aspinall, I’ll fight Ciryl (Gane), I’ll fight (Alex) Pereira”. He’s missing the point that he’s making a demand and he doesn’t get to be the selective.”