A few months after President Donald Trump teased hosting an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event at the White House, UFC CEO Dana White says the UFC has reached a deal with the White House.
“We got it done,” White said in a video he posted on social media informally announcing the event. While the exact date and matchups have yet to be announced, White says the event is locked in for June of 2026. Trump first mentioned the possibility of hosting a UFC event at the White House during a rally in Des Moines, Iowa on July 3. Trump suggested the event would have a crowd of roughly 25,000; White stated that a park nearby the White House will host a watchparty for the event holding a crowd of nearly 85,000.
White also confirmed that the event will air live on CBS and that the fighters will make their entrances by walking from the Oval Office to the octagon. Computer renderings displaying a mixed martial arts octagon surrounded by a sizable crowd on the White House South Lawn were posted by White and the official White House account on Instagram.
Trump has a longstanding relationship with White as one of the first investors in the organization. Due to the controversial nature of mixed martial arts, the UFC struggled to find venues in the early 2000s. Trump allowed White to hold events in the Trump Taj Mahal, his hotel and casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Recently, Trump has been a frequent audience member at UFC events such as UFC 309 in November of last year, when he attended a fight night in Madison Square Garden alongside many of his cabinet members and Elon Musk. White and a slew of UFC fighters were present at Trump’s inauguration including the company’s top star: Conor McGregor.
McGregor, an outspoken conservative, also has ties to the Trump administration. The former UFC champion visited the White House on St. Patrick’s Day and held a short conference in which he echoed the Trump administration’s anti-illegal immigration rhetoric; McGregor stated that Ireland was on the brink of “losing its Irishness.” McGregor has repeatedly teased running for president of Ireland on social media and in interviews. McGregor has also voiced his interest in fighting at the White House event but set a steep price tag of $100 million. Legendary fighter Jon Jones is another big name who expressed interest in the event. Jones retired earlier this year only to re-enter the UFC drug testing program upon talks of the event’s increasing probability.
Aside from the UFC event, Trump has hyped a number of events set to take place in 2026 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence. Among these is the Great American State Fair, a ceremony held at the National Mall that will feature exhibits from all 50 states as well as events at several national parks. Trump also announced the “Patriot Games,” a televised athletic competition featuring the top high school athletes nationwide.
From the card to the crowd size and security logistics, most details about the event remain unknown. However, White has vowed to build the best fight card in UFC history for what will be the first sporting event at the White House.