White: Jones Returns In Summer Or Fall

UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones could return as early as this summer.

That’s according to promotion CEO Dana White, who may not realize that summer starts in two days. In addition, UFC 303 (June 29), UFC 304 (July 27), and UFC 305 (Aug. 17) are already booked, leaving UFC 306 at The Sphere as the next available pay-per-view (PPV) card.

Which may or may not go to the injured Conor McGregor.

“He’s doing well,” White told Jim Rome when asked for an update on Jones. “We’ll see him soon. We’ll either see him in the summer or the fall.”

November at Madison Square Garden is also an option.

Jones, 36, tore his pectoral muscle while training for his Stipe Miocic title defense at UFC 295 late last year. In his absence, Tom Aspinall captured the interim crown and will move on to defend the substitute strap against Curtis Blaydes in Manchester.

Miocic, 41, has not competed since getting knocked out by Francis Ngannou in early 2021.