Daniel Cormier Puts Rivalry Aside, Urges Dana White to Book Jon Jones for White House Showdown

Former two-division champion Daniel Cormier is publicly urging Dana White to book Jon Jones for the historic UFC White House event. This is the same guy who traded haymakers and verbal bombs with Jones for years. Now he’s playing peacemaker for his bitter rival. The UFC will make history with a fight night at the White House in 2026. However, the UFC CEO has called Jones too much of a “risk” for such a massive event. But Cormier thinks that’s a mistake.

The former light heavyweight and heavyweight champ is putting rivalry aside for Team USA. He wants the best American fighters representing the White House. Even if one of them is his archnemesis. 

Daniel Cormier Believes Jon Jones Isn’t Stepping Down This Time

At this point, Jones has publicly stated on multiple occasions that he wants to fight at the White House. But White sounds more determined than ever to keep him off the card. Recently, the UFC boss revealed Jones had reached out to him with a serious apology. The 56-year-old, however, hasn’t forgotten that Jones was the reason behind the only event cancellation in company history with UFC 151. 

Moreover, his role in getting the Tom Aspinall unification bout derailed is something the head honcho has in mind. So, White isn’t ready to take a risk where there’s any margin for error. Cormier thinks this approach is very wrong.

“Jon Jones has stated publicly he wants to fight at the White House… But Dana seems more stern in not letting him [fight] today than I have ever seen him in regard to Jon Jones,” Cormier stated on his YouTube channel. 

The former Olympian explained, “I think I would let him fight. I think if he wants to fight, I would let him fight because… when we’re fighting at the White House, you want American people that can win.”

😳👀Daniel Cormier says the UFC should let Jon Jones fight on the White House card

“[Dana White] seems like he’s not going to back down and allow for [Jon Jones] to be on a White House card… I don’t know If I agree… I would let [Jon Jones] fight.

At the end of the day, we’re… pic.twitter.com/GF6kNg2L8X

— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) September 20, 2025

Cormier’s argument is pretty simple. This isn’t just any UFC card, but America showcasing its best fighters on the world’s biggest stage. Having Americans lose at the White House would be embarrassing.

“Imagine if we’re on the White House lawn and the Americans aren’t winning fights,” he said. Now, that’s vintage DC logic. Putting personal beef aside for the greater good. It is clear that Jones might be unreliable, but he’s still one of the most dominant American fighters ever. White also said the chances of Jones fighting at the White House card are “a billion to one” because of his history. But Cormier has a plan to make it work.

Daniel Cormier Requests Dana White to Give Jon Jones One Last Chance

White previously cited Jones’s unreliability as the main reason for his refusal. He frequently states in various interviews that he values consistency, which Jones lacks extremely. Cormier has a solution for that. The former Olympian laid out his plan with specific dollar amounts, and his plan aims to directly target Jones’ wallet.

“If you put Jon Jones on the White House card, say something that happens in the law, and he has to be pulled from the card, $1 million. Say he just says he doesn’t want to fight for $1 million. Say he gets injured, then it should be less, as long as the injury can be proven,” Cormier proposed.

Sept. 22, 2013 – Toronto, Ontario, Canada – Light Heavyweight JON JONES (C) retains his Light Heavyweight title against Swedish fighter ALEXANDER GUSTAFSSON (R) at UFC 165 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. Jones won by unanimous decision. UFC 165 – Jones Beats Gustafsson To Retain Title – ZUMAv53

The math sounds brutal, but also fair for someone like Jones. In this kind of contract, legal trouble will cost Jones a truckload of money. Only legitimate injuries could get him a discount.

Cormier finished with an emotional appeal, saying, “We have no American guys in the top 10 of the pound-for-pound since Jon Jones retired. That’s crazy. Come on, boss. It’s me asking you to give Jon Jones a chance.”

It is really hard to believe that is the guy who got eye-poked by Jones twice, got knocked out cold by him, and hated him for years. Now the same guy is swallowing his pride for Team USA. It is safe to say that he sees the bigger picture beyond their personal history.