UFC White House: Date, fight card info, live stream details and how event will work
The White House are set to host a blockbuster UFC event next year, US President Donald Trump has announced.
Trump revealed plans to hold a 'championship fight' with an audience of 20,000-25,000 to mark 250 years of American independence.
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The 79-year-old, who is a friend of Dana White, has attended several UFC events, including UFC 316 in New Jersey in June.
President Trump is a close ally of UFC president White, with the latter giving a speech at the politician's inauguration earlier this year.
His association with the chief MMA promotion dates back to 2001, when the now-closed Trump Taj Mahal hosted UFC 30 and 31.
Speaking last month, Trump said: “Does anybody watch UFC? The great Dana White? We're going to have a UFC fight.
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“We're going to have a UFC fight - think of this - on the grounds of the White House. We have a lot of land there.”
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, later admitted Trump is 'dead serious' about the UFC fight plans.
The 27-year-old also confirmed the proposals on X, writing: "It's going to be EPIC!" on a post of Trump unveiling his idea for an MMA event.
UFC boss White has since followed up with numerous updates, insisting that the White House card is 'definitely' going to happen.
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His update came days after the announcement of the UFC's new $7.7billion broadcast deal with Paramount and CBS.
It will be a historic first UFC event ever to be held in the home of the president, and it has got the entire MMA world talking.
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UFC White House date and live stream
A date is yet to be officially confirmed, but Trump wants the event to celebrate 250 years of American independence on July 4, 2026.
Among the details, White said, “It will be a pay-per-view card… The best card we could possibly put together.”
Where exactly will UFC White House take place?
White has confirmed the event will be held outdoors on the South Lawn of the White House.
'We're going to be on the South Lawn and literally when you're watching the fight, it will be all the White House here and behind me will be the Washington Monument," the UFC president said.
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"We're just getting into the logistics right now. My team has already walked the White House with the staff there.
"Now we're putting together the design and then we'll all fly out to D.C. and sit down with him (Trump) and see what he wants to do."
Both Jon Jones and Conor McGregor have declared their interest in fighting on what would be a truly spectacular card.
White is currently in the process of selecting who will be on the UFC card at the White House.
Dana White snubs Jon Jones for headliner at UFC White House card: ‘I can’t risk’
Who will fight on UFC White House card?
White hasn't ruled out the possibility of McGregor and the recently retired Jones both competing at the White House.
"Anything is possible and everything is possible for that card," White told "The Pat McAfee Show" in July.
“Everybody wants to be on this card. I mean, you don’t even have to know who’s blowing up my phone,” White said during a post-fight press conference after UFC Nashville. “You can just see it all on the Internet.”
“But, you know, the fight’s a year away, so the landscape will change a lot over the next year,” he added.
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White has made it quite clear that he thinks McGregor would be the more reliable option between him and Jones for the White House.
White explained his stance on The Jim Rome Show: “I trust Conor [McGregor].
“McGregor has never, unless he seriously injured, this guy has always delivered. Jon [Jones], I’m a little more skeptical about.
“[Jones] already came back. He already put himself back in the testing pool, saying he wants to fight at the White House.
“He’s back, but we’re not talking about fights for him right now.”
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Will McGregor be on UFC White House card?
The Irishman hasn't competed since losing back-to-back bouts to Dustin Poirier in 2021.
He was scheduled to return in June 2024 to fight Michael Chandler, but the bout was cancelled when 'Notorious' suffered an injured toe.
McGregor has since been incentivised to rejoin the UFC testing pool to compete in the wake of this supercard announcement.
The 37-year-old paid the White House a visit earlier this year for St Patrick’s Day, and commended Trump's 'inspiring' work ethic.
His business partner, David Feldman, president of McGregor-owned promotion BKFC, has revealed the fighter's intention to return.
“He told me in person,” Feldman said to Ariel Helwani.
“He whispered in my ear, he said, 'I'm in the testing pool.' He said, 'I'm getting ready to make my comeback.
“I'm going to fight on that big card and then I'm going to have another fight and then we can talk.”
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Will Jones be on UFC White House card?
Jones has not fought since beating Stipe Miocic by third-round technical knockout at UFC 309 in November 2024.
That victory was his only defence of the heavyweight title, which he held for more than two years, before relinquishing upon his retirement in June, with Tom Aspinall elevated to undisputed champion.
Trump's revelation prompted what seemed to be a retirement U-turn from 'Bones', as he set his sights on being part of the event.
"Fighting at the White House? (eyes emoji)" Jones wrote on X before revealing that he had re-entered the UFC's testing pool.
However, UFC president White made it clear that he wasn't so keen on the idea of Jones featuring on the historic event.
After UFC 318, he said: "You know how I felt about him.
"I can't risk putting him in big positions, in a big spot, and have something go wrong. Especially the White House card."
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Jones was left unimpressed by White's comments, but has confidently vowed to earn his spot on the bill.
Writing on X, he said: "I heard the comments made at last night’s press conference.
"While I was a little disappointed, I’m still in the UFC’s drug testing pool, staying sharp, and continuing to train like a professional. I’ll be ready for whatever comes next.
"In a recent interview, I shared that the opportunity to fight at the White House gave me something deeper to fight for, a 'why' that goes beyond pay checks or belts.
Dana White excitedly reacts as Donald Trump announces plans for historic UFC event at White House
"Fighting for my country gives me a greater purpose!
"The silver lining in all this is knowing the fans see my heart. They see, I am ready and willing to take on anyone, to represent my country on an historic stage.
"For me, it’s never been just about the opponent. I’m chasing legacy, something timeless, something bigger than the moment.
"So for now, I’ll keep grinding, stay patient, and stay faithful. I’m ready to fight on July 4th."
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However, on August 17, White confirmed just how slim Jon Jones’ chances are of appearing on the UFC White House card.
"I would not bet on it," White said during the UFC 319 postfight news conference in Chicago.
“Let me ask you, what do you think Jon would do in the next couple of months that would make me trust putting him on the White House card?
“So I already said that I don’t trust him, and you’re asking me what could he do for me to trust him in the next three months? You don’t trust him!
“I don’t talk to him either. I haven’t talked to him at all. If I had to make odds, it’s a billion-to-one that I put Jon Jones on the White House card.”
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Michael Bisping's UFC White House Card
Stacked
- Main Event: Tom Aspinall vs Jon Jones - UFC Heavyweight Title
- Co-main Event: Conor McGregor vs Michael Chandler
Rest of card
- Valentina Shevchenko vs Erin Blanchfield – Women's Flyweight Title
- Israel Adesanya vs. Sean Strickland 2
- Justin Gaethje vs. 'anybody'
- Sean O'Malley vs. Cory Sandhagen
Will Ronda Rousey return for UFC White House?
Rousey has now been linked with a Hollywood-esque MMA return after a nine-year hiatus on the UFC's White House card.
'Rowdy' sparked fan excitement by dropping some fresh training footage of her grappling on the mats.
She previously suggested that concussions sustained from her UFC career would prevent her from making a return.
The women's MMA pioneer revealed to talkSPORT that she hid several medical issues from the UFC during her tenure with the company, as she feared she would be forced to retire.
She welcomed her second child to the world in January and hasn't publicly responded to calls for a comeback since.
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Yet former fighter and UFC analyst Chael Sonnen claimed that Rousey would return specifically to fight new women’s bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison.
“I can confirm the story came from Ronda,” Sonnen said. “And in this space, it’s always Ronda’s camp, one of Ronda’s people, Ronda’s inner circle. I understand those things, but it was. The absolute inner circle of Ronda has let it be known: that she will take on the winner of Amanda and Kayla as long as it’s Kayla. So in other words, ‘I’ll return to fight for the title if Kayla needs an opponent.’”
“Everybody in our industry is hearing the story and they’re all talking about it, but they don’t have the quite the confirmation to come out and bring it to you,” Sonnen added later in his video.
“As a matter of fact, it’s believed when Dana alluded to this big surprise that none of you will see coming, that is what he is alluding to. The idea of two Olympic medalists on the White House grounds, they think is very American and a very good feel.”
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Ronda Rousey's UFC career
One Last Dance?
- Loss. Amanda Nunes via first-round TKO/KO at UFC 207 in December 2016
- Loss. Holly Holm via first-round TKO/KO at UFC 193 in November 2015 (dropped bantamweight title)
- Def. Bethe Correia via first-round TKO/KO at UFC 190 in August 2015
- Def. Cat Zingano via first-round submission at UFC 184 in February 2015
- Def. Alexis Davis via first-round TKO/KO at UFC 175 in July 2014
- Def. Sara McMann via first-round TKO/KO at UFC 170 in February 2014
- Def. Miesha Tate via third-round submission at UFC 168 in December 2013
- Def. Liz Carmouche via first-round submission at UFC 157 in February 2013 (won bantamweight title on debut in first-ever women's UFC fight)
What is Ronda Rousey's UFC record?
Rousey won six of her eight fights in the UFC following her February 2013 debut.
She was named the promotion's first-ever women's bantamweight champion before her debut, having previously been crowned the queen at 135lbs under the Strikeforce banner.
Rousey secured her fifth successive armbar submission finish when she defeated Liz Carmouche on her debut.
She went on to defend the women's bantamweight title a further five times to mark a one-of-a-kind UFC run.
Her first defeat came in November 2015 when she was shockingly knocked out by Holly Holm in her penultimate UFC bout.
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After over a year out, Rousey then made her return at UFC 207 against Amanda Nunes, but was knocked out in under one minute.
In an emotional interview, Rousey once fought back tears recalling the 48-second KO loss, and hasn't appeared for the company since.