Brett OkamotoFeb 4, 2026, 02:38 PM ET
- Brett Okamoto has reported on mixed martial arts and boxing at ESPN since 2010. He has covered all of the biggest events in combat sports during that time, including in-depth interviews and features with names such as Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Georges St-Pierre. He was also a producer on the 30 for 30 film: "Chuck and Tito," which looked back at the careers and rivalry of Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. He lives in Las Vegas, and is an avid, below-average golfer in his spare time.
UFC star Jon Jones said he is already in need of a hip replacement, but he has repeatedly expressed interest in competing at a UFC event in June at the White House.
Jones, 38, made the revelation to UFC welterweight Joaquin Buckley in a video posted to TikTok by Noah the Boa. In the video, Jones is asked about the odds of a potential wrestling match against his longtime rival Daniel Cormier.
"I have severe arthritis, and most people don't know that," Jones told Buckley. "My left hip is covered in arthritis. I actually already qualify for hip replacement. My last training camp, dude, I went to bed in so much pain."
Jones (28-1) is a two-weight UFC champion, and widely considered the greatest mixed martial artist of all time. The UFC tried to book an undisputed heavyweight title fight between Jones and then-interim champion Tom Aspinall in 2025, however Jones announced his retirement from the sport instead. Shortly after his announcement, however, Jones changed his mind and has been campaigning to fight light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira at the White House.
Speculation over a potential wrestling match against Cormier, a two-weight champion and former U.S. Olympic wrestler, grew over the past month, after Jones and Cormier coached against each other on a Russian reality fight series. While it does not appear a wrestling match is on the table, Jones has never expressed any health concerns around a return to the Octagon. The UFC has not announced any matchups for the event.
Jones hasn't fought since he defended the heavyweight belt against Stipe Miocic in November 2024. He has made only three appearances in the past six years.
