Pettis: Wheaties Box Deal Was 'Supposed to Be' Jon Jones
Anthony Pettis says his Wheaties box deal only happened after Jon Jones fell through with the UFC and Dana White.
This article was generated with AI assistance and reviewed by our editorial team.
Anthony Pettis says he only landed a spot on the Wheaties box because Jon Jones fell through first.
Pettis told the story of how the cereal brand's box deal came together, explaining he was sitting in Dana White's office when the offer call came in. According to Pettis, the box "was supposed to be" Jones, but White had to scramble after Jones ran into off-cage trouble again. "Dana gets on the phone. He's like, 'F*ck, again?'" Pettis recalled, describing White's reaction to hearing Jones was unavailable. With the door suddenly open, White turned to Pettis, who ended up with the Wheaties spot instead.
Why This Matters for Pettis's Profile
Landing a Wheaties box is a mainstream marketing win that most fighters never get close to, and Pettis turning a Jon Jones fallout into his own opportunity is a reminder of how quickly endorsement deals can shift inside the UFC when a headline name becomes a liability off the field. For Pettis, a former UFC lightweight champion still active on the roster, the exposure is a nice value-add regardless of how it came about. It costs him nothing and puts his face in grocery aisles, the kind of crossover visibility that keeps a veteran fighter relevant to casual fans between fights.
The bigger story buried in the anecdote is Jones himself. Pettis's account lines up with the pattern of Jones facing recurring off-cage issues that have repeatedly complicated business opportunities tied to his name, on top of the uncertainty already surrounding his UFC heavyweight future.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Anthony Pettis get the Wheaties box instead of Jon Jones?
Anthony Pettis said the Wheaties box deal was originally meant for Jon Jones, but Dana White had to find a replacement after Jones ran into off-cage trouble, and Pettis was in White's office at the time.
What did Dana White say when he found out Jon Jones was unavailable?
According to Anthony Pettis, Dana White reacted to the news about Jon Jones by saying, "F*ck, again?" before turning to Pettis about the Wheaties opportunity.
