Dana White Desperately Wants Jon Jones to Save His Company

Dana White and Jon Jones are speaking again. Because the UFC ratings and pay-per-view buyrates are falling and Jones, outside of Conor McGregor, is the only star the company has under contract.

Jones is still waiting on his sentencing for USADA after failing his second anti-doping drug test. It’s his third overall failure, but the first one was just cocaine. Jones faces a four-year suspension. His case will be heard on Tuesday, Feb. 27.

The former champion hasn’t competed since July 2017. It’s doubtful that he fights again this year, but given how much he means to the UFC pocketbook, they’ll be hoping for the best. Jones has been training, which, what else is he going to do?

White said that this is the first time that they have spoken since July. Jones had previously been upset with Dana, a common feeling among UFC fighters, for abandoning him following his first failed drug test in July 2016.

According to Dana, the UFC had their best financial year last year. You should take that with a grain of salt because he lies every other sentence and he’s counting Mayweather-McGregor as part of the UFC bottom line. In reality, UFC is trending down. They’ve failed to create new stars and the old stars are gone. McGregor is the only star left and who knows when he’ll fight again.

Jones’ pay-per-view numbers are typically good, but how his return fight will do is anyone’s guess. Fans may not want to pay $60 for a fight that will ultimately be ruled a no contest when Jones fails another drug test.

I welcome back Jon Jones with open arms. I’m also not holding my breath.