Jon Jones' Dirty Boxing Gets DC Promoter's License Amidst UFC White House Dispute

Jon Jones may not be fighting on the UFC White House card in June but his very own promotion is making headway in Washington DC, having received its promoting license. 

Jones was announced as a co-owner of Dirty Boxing Championship in March last year, joining fellow veteran Mike Perry and his manager Malki Kawa in doing so. He mainly serves an ambassadorial role much in the same way he will for Russia's IBA Bareknuckle Boxing going forward, and was front and center for the promotion's newest update regarding its promoting license in DC. 

"BREAKING: DBX is officially a licensed promoter in DC!" The announcement read, alongside a picture of Jones draped in the US flag in front of the White House.

The announcement was timed well considering the ongoing dispute between Jones and UFC regarding his status with the promotion and supposed negotiations for the Freedom 250 card at the White House in June. Jones had said prior to the full card being announced that he was in negotiations to renege on his 2025 retirement, and entered the USADA testing pool (two tests conducted in 2026 thus far). 

The card was announced, Jones was nowhere to be found, and Dana White dismissed any notion he was being considered. Jones has since pushed back on that, claiming that not only were there active negotiations but he was lowballed, believing any potential fight with Alex Pereira – who will be fighting on the card against Ciryl Gane – to be worth more than the $15 million he said they tabled. 

He added that if the sentiment was truly that he was done, then he would like to be released from his contract. White has maintained his version of events, stopping just short of calling Jones a liar during Saturday's press conference following Fight Night 271.