Jon Jones Seen With UFC Exec Has UFC Fans Fuming Over Possible Return

We've seen this Jon Jones-UFC story before.

Mar 4, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; UFC president Dana White (left) greets fighter Jon Jones during a press conference prior to weigh-ins for UFC 196 at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Former UFC two-division champion Jon Jones was in attendance at UFC Shanghai Saturday, which saw another electrifying card that saw Song Yadong assert himself amongst the UFC's bantamweight elite with a KO/TKO over Umar Nurmagomedov in Round 2 of the night's main event from Oriental Sports Center.

During the event, the 39-year-old Jones was spotted with UFC CBO Hunter Campbell in a video captured by the UFC Eurosport social media pages. It's unclear what was discussed between the pair, but it certainly got fans interested in Jones' immediate future. Jones last fought in Nov. 2024 at UFC 309, scoring a TKO stoppage over Stipe Miocic in what was Jones' lone heavyweight title defense.

In an interview earlier this summer with Ring Magazine, Jones didn't exactly close the door entirely on another UFC fight. However, his priorities are simply in a different place, he said.

Jon Jones is Happy With Being Inactive

(Zuffa LLC)

"I can genuinely say I'm happy right now.," Jones said about his coaching duties. "The door is open. Like I said, I'm still in that drug-testing pool. I'm just allowing time to fly by by focusing on somebody else. If I get that calling from maybe the higher powers, then I'm going to have to answer that call. But right now, I feel like I'm in the right place, which is serving someone else."

Jones, who is coaching highly-touted UFC heavyweight prospect Gable Steveson as his main responsibility, said the stars would have to allign for a UFC return to make logical sense.

"When I get offered a fight, that's going to be great," Jones said. "We'll see how I feel when that time comes, but things are great."

Jones added that his perspective from transitioning from in-cage competition to coaching has allowed him to reflect on the sport as a whole.

Could Jon Jones Fight Again?

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

"I tell everybody that being backstage, being around the fans, seeing that passion, being in the training gym, I get to do it all over again through Gable, and so I'm giving him my absolute best, teaching him everything I know about the sport and that's been really fulfilling for me," Jones added. "I think for a lot of fans as well, they're like, 'Jon, when are you going to come back?' and those same fans are like, 'Hey, welcome back, Coach Jones.'"

Some fans, though, aren't buying the buddy-buddy UFC narrative, with one fan noting that there is nothing "interesting" about Jones' comeback attempt.

We'll see if anything comes about from the Campbell conversation. For now, though, it seems Jones is content with his current lifestyle.