As fallout from Jon Jones' request for a UFC contract release intensifies following his exclusion from the June 14 White House card, supporters including Daniel Cormier and Francis Ngannou have voiced sympathy, while Ronda Rousey and Tom Aspinall highlight broader fighter discontent with UFC pay and contracts.
In the wake of Jon Jones' public demand for release from the UFC—after negotiations for a spot on the historic UFC Freedom 250: The White House card fell through with what he called a lowball offer—new reactions have emerged underscoring tensions between the fighter and promotion. See prior coverage for details on the initial dispute and statements from Jones and UFC CEO Dana White.
Former champion Daniel Cormier expressed sympathy on his YouTube channel: “I kind of felt bad for him... It’s crazy.” He suggested the UFC sees the 38-year-old Jones, hampered by injuries, as lacking long-term value and predicted they would deny a release to block him from joining ventures like Francis Ngannou's promotion.
Ngannou, gearing up for a May 16 bout against Philipe Lins on the undercard of Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano, offered support on social media: “if you manage to get your freedom, then let me know. You deserve that $30M+ after everything you’ve done for the sport.” At his MVP press conference, he added, “I was probably in the same situation... We are independent contractors, and we should be able to get what we deserve. And if we don’t get it, we should be able to have a right to walk away.”
Rousey, at the same event, slammed the UFC as “one of the worst places to go” for fighters despite its $7.7 billion deal, criticizing pay and calling the White House card underwhelming. Meanwhile, heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has signed with Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Talent Agency to explore better earnings, noting Hearn "was just giggling" at his UFC contract and highlighting MMA fighters' lower pay compared to boxers.
These developments amplify the core issues: Jones' hip problems, past unreliability (e.g., reneging on a Tom Aspinall fight after Stipe Miocic), and his push for a superfight with Alex Pereira, which was nixed in favor of Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title.
