Latest news with #WhiteHouseEvent
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Dana White 'can't risk' Jon Jones being involved in UFC's potential White House event
UFC's White House event concept has been the talk of MMA since U.S. president Donald Trump and UFC CEO Dana White revealed intentions to make it a reality in 2026. Several big-named fighters have proclaimed their desires to be part of the event, including the recently retired all-time great Jon Jones. The ongoing saga between Jones and the previously hostaged heavyweight title ended with Jones' surprise retirement two weeks ago at UFC Baku's post-fight press conference. However, Jones has since claimed he's already enrolled back in the UFC's drug-testing pool and is ready and willing to fight at the White House event. Thanks to his checkered past outside the Octagon — Jones is currently facing a new criminal charge among a long line of many — the former two-division champion has proven to be unreliable at times on the UFC's biggest platforms. That's why White isn't sold on the idea of Jones being a part of the action. "I can't risk putting him in big positions in a big spot and have something go wrong, especially the White House," White said of Jones at UFC 318's post-fight press conference. UFC's potential White House trip has remained a fixture of any public conversation White is a part of since the news broke. While it may be too soon to imagine what the fight lineup could actually look like, White knows he'll have to make preparations far earlier than usual because of the event's unique challenge. That being said, he's adamant the Las Vegas Sphere is still more difficult to set up for a fight night, as the UFC did with its Emmy award-winning show this past October at UFC 306. "That fight's a year away, so I'm not even thinking about anything right now," White said. "The landscape will change so much by next Fourth of July. Who knows what's going to happen? Who knows what's going to be on the card or what the main event will be, or who holds all the titles? Everything could be completely different. It's not even worth thinking about right now. "I have other problems. I'm dealing with the logistics and all the things on figuring out how to make this thing happen. How do we want to do it? I'm going to fly out there in about 10 days, and we'll have all the renderings done, sit down with [Trump] and go through the renderings, and see what he wants to do and doesn't want to do. "The difference with the White House is I don't think they've ever had anything very heavy out on the lawn, and the Octagon alone weighs 20,000 pounds."
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mailbag: Who should UFC actually want to see — and be seen with — at its White House event?
What should we really expect from a UFC event at the White House? Would Jon Jones and/or Conor McGregor actually fight on it, and if so, would we really want that? And what's the ideal long-term prognosis for both Dustin Poirier and Max Holloway in the UFC 318 main event on Saturday? All that and more in this week's mailbag. To ask a question of your own, hit up @benfowlkesmma. @Beastin364: What are the odds that stars like McGregor and Jon Jones really show up and fight at the UFC White House event? Or is it just something they say they'll do for the attention I think the odds vary by the individual. Jon Jones? Yeah, I could see him actually coming out of his extremely flexible and very short-lived 'retirement' to do this, but I seriously doubt he'd take on Tom Aspinall as his opponent, which is what UFC CEO Dana White described as his dream main event here. I think Jones would rather call his own shot and go after someone easier who still looks good on paper. As for Conor McGregor, there's no way. Everything we know about what's going on with him these days — and we know more than we'd probably like to — makes it seem like he's thinking about anything but fighting. Don't get me wrong, he might punch a drunk dude in a nightclub here or there. But he's not about that life of hard training and sacrifice and hitting people who can actually hit back. Not anymore. Not for some time now. But there's another part nobody involved seems to be considering just yet. This would be an entirely different kind of exposure for the UFC. The company — and to some extent this whole sport — has often benefitted from its under-the-radar nature while playing to a pretty niche audience. But with something like this, the attention of the country and the mainstream media would be trained on the UFC and the fighters it chooses to lead the way. All of which is to say, are we sure we want to go with guys who have such an extensive body of work captured on police body and dashboard cams? Do we want the guy who's been found liable for sexual assault and the guy who can very recently be heard telling a cop that he knows evil people who can kill him upon request? Because that doesn't seem like a great look for the UFC. I know we live in a post-truth age where nothing seems to matter and consequences are for the regular peasants like us and not the rich people on TV, but come on. The UFC has better — or at least less openly and repeatedly embarrassing people — that it could call upon for something like this. Plus, you need someone who'll show up as promised. It's not like either of those dudes is Mr. Reliability at this point. @MMAbandwagon: If Dustin wins in spectacular fashion (sorry Max we love you), what are the chances he gets a wild hair and calls for a title shot against Ilia? Could he retire champion? Am I being ridiculous? That's a lot to ask of a guy who's fully committed to retiring but a man can dream These retirement fights can be tricky for exactly that reason. Fighters never want to go out on a loss. But if Dustin Poirier got a big win and looked great doing it? Well that might just prove to him that he's got more left in the tank and should stick around a while longer. Still, I have a hard time seeing that here. When you make a big deal about this being your last fight and the UFC brings the whole show to your home region and all your people show up to see you based primarily on the promise that this is the last chance, it sort of hems you in. And even if he wanted to keep going, a win here would still only improve Poirier to 3-3 in his last six fights. That's not me knocking him; he's had a great career and has fought nothing but top guys for the past five years or so. But a winning streak that's holding firm at one isn't a strong case for a title shot in such a stacked division. @GabeDert: Hoping this is it for dusty p Win or lose Be good for Holloway to hang 'em up too no? It blows my mind every time I check his Wikipedia page and remember that Max Holloway is only 33 years old. Granted, he started young. And most of the fighters who start young also finish young. But he seems like he's been smart about preserving his brain and body for the sake of longevity, so I could see him having a few more good years — if he wants them. The question is what the UFC would be willing to try to do with him. If it wants to go back to matching him with young contenders in the hope that he'll age into the stepping stone role, I don't see him getting too excited about that. And if he's going to stay at lightweight, well, he's already got that pretty definitive loss to the current champ. These kinds of fights — BMF title fights (or whatever) against peers who bring their own name rather than trying to make one off him — are pretty ideal for Holloway at this point. I just don't know how many more fighters there are who fit that bill. @Mike_Fierce_: Does Khamzat become the UFC's BIGGEST (and much needed) star with a dominant win over Du Plessis?!? And which direction in weight class does he then immediately go after for Double Champ status?!? Whoa there. I'm going to need you to slow way down. Khamzat Chimaev first needs to show up and beat Dricus du Plessis, neither of which is a given. @shadore66: Kevin Holland is having his 27th UFC fight since 2018. JDM has 8 ufc fights and DDP has 10 fights. Given what we know of ufc contracts, completing them and then signing new ones for more money is the road to success. So: is Holland one of the most successful mma fighters? Welllll not so fast. Yes, fighting a lot is a good way to bank a lot of money. But Holland has also lost 10 of those fights, with one no-contest in that span. So that's a lot of fights where he got show money but not win money. Additionally, many of the UFC contracts include escalating pay only if you keep winning. Losing can halt that progress, and Holland hasn't won more than two in a row since 2020. Also, while the money generally goes up with each new contract, it doesn't increase endlessly with no upper limit — especially not for fighters who never really get close to a title. So yeah, I think Holland is probably earning well beyond what most UFC fighters get, and he's cashing a lot more of those checks while fighting three or four times a year. But does that outweigh being a champion who cashes in big with every title defense? I doubt it. @StaleSonnen: Will Connor's recently released glamor shot bring more ladies into the bars that show UFC? You know, somehow I have a hard time imagining that too many women saw that photo and were like, "Wow, I definitely can't find a guy like this on literally every corner of the internet every single day whether I want to see it or not, so I better run to Buffalo Wild Wings and hope for more of this at the next UFC pay-per-view." You get what I'm saying? @ewillcock: What's really going on at heavyweight? Who do you think challenges Tom next? Tom said he's got a fight, but no announcement. Jon says he's re-entered the pool, but no clarity what that even means. Pereira is booked. Little interest in seeing Cyril it seems. My gut says it will end up being Ciryl Gane. Which is a little disappointing, because it means yet another title fight between two people who didn't become champ by beating a champ. That's not Tom Aspinall's fault. He did every single thing he could do to get Jones in that cage for a heavyweight title unification fight. Whether it's Gane for him next or one of the other heavyweights knocking around the top half of the rankings, it's going to be something of a letdown now. Best he can do is focus on winning and then hope Jones feels left out and forgotten enough to come back and accept the one fight he tried his hardest to avoid.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Could Jon Jones, Conor McGregor compete on UFC's White House fight card in 2026?
The UFC is expected to hold an event at the White House in 2026. Could it be one of the biggest cards in MMA history? 'Everyone wants to fight on this card,' UFC CEO Dana White said on the "Full Send Podcast." '… We will absolutely, positively put on the baddest card of all time.' Advertisement Earlier this month, President Donald Trump said the White House was going to host a UFC event in honor of America's 250th birthday. 'When the fights are going on while we are filming, one side of the backdrop will be the White House and the other side will be the Washington Monument,' White said on the podcast. Trump said that White and the UFC will utilize the available space on the White House grounds to host approximately 25,000 spectators. More: President Donald Trump announces upcoming UFC event at White House in 2026 Who could compete on the UFC's White House fight card? Could Jon Jones be featured in the main event? He expressed interest in fighting at the White House. Advertisement Jones vacated the UFC heavyweight championship in late June, saying he was retiring. Tom Aspinall was named the new champion. But Jones has, seemingly, quickly changed course just two weeks later, saying he's re-entered the UFC testing pool. 'It would be, for me it's about the opportunity to represent America at the White House,' Jones wrote in a post on X. 'I don't care who I fight that night. I found my reason why, that's what I needed, something that was more than money.' White confirmed that Jones did re-enter the promotion's anti-doping testing pool. '(Jones) jumped back in the pool,' White said. 'The dream main event would be Aspinall vs. Jones.' Advertisement Will Conor McGregor compete in the UFC again? Conor McGregor is no stranger to the White House, meeting with Trump and Elon Musk on St. Patrick's Day on March 17. Could McGregor return to the White House in 2026 as a potential competitor on the card? White hinted that there 'could be' a scenario where Jones and McGregor could fight on the same card. McGregor has not competed in a UFC octagon since losing to Dustin Poirier (twice) in 2021. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Could Jon Jones, Conor McGregor compete on UFC 2026 White House card?
Fox News
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
UFC's Dana White hints that recently retired Jon Jones, Conor McGregor could return for White House fights
President Donald Trump revealed plans last week to have a UFC card at the White House to celebrate the United States' 250th birthday next year. "Every one of our national parks, battlefields and historic sites are going to have special events in honor of 'America250,' and I even think we're going to have a UFC fight," Trump said in a speech at the Iowa State Fairgrounds last week in an address on the eve of the Fourth of July. It would be an unprecedented event, and UFC President Dana White is promising "the baddest card of all time." "Everybody wants to fight on this card. Literally everybody," White told the "Full Send Podcast" this week. So much so, White confirmed that Jon Jones, who announced his retirement June 21, "jumped back in the [drug-testing] pool." When asked if that was official, White replied, "Oh yeah." After Jones' retirement, his heavyweight title went to Tom Aspinall. So, it's not hard to imagine what White's "dream main event" is. "The dream main event right now would be Aspinall vs. Jones," White said, without much hesitation. Jones all but confirmed this week he'd be fighting at the White House. "The moment I heard Donald Trump's announcement, I started training again," Jones said on X Thursday. Conor McGregor quickly showed interest in fighting at the White House, and White even said McGregor "could be" on the same card as Jones at the nation's capital. "McGregor has gotten himself to a point where he is and will be, whether he stops fighting or not, one of the biggest superstars in sports, period," White said. McGregor, 36, last fought in 2021, when he lost to Dustin Poirier after breaking a leg during the fight. He was slated to fight Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in June, but the fight was called off after he broke his toe during training. Trump, a close friend of White, attended a UFC fight in Newark, New Jersey, in June. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
The Sun
11-07-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
‘That's where I'm headed next' – Conor McGregor appears to confirm UFC return in shock card at the White House
CONOR McGREGOR has appeared to confirm he will make a UFC comeback - and wants to return by fighting at the White House. The volatile Irishman has not been in the octagon since July 2021 - when he brutally broke his leg against Dustin Poirier. 2 A toe injury in last June also forced McGregor out of his proposed comeback bout against Michael Chandler in Las Vegas. Further controversies outside of the cage have also kept the former UFC champion out of action with his fighting future in doubt. But after US President Donald Trump announced plans to host a UFC event on White House grounds - McGregor threw his name in the hat. And adding further fuel to the fire, he said at a Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship event: 'It's looking like I'm headed to the Oval Office again. "So that's where I'm headed next. But I'll let these men fight for this one and I'll support them and back them all the way." McGregor, his fiancee Dee Devlin and their four children visited Trump and the White House in March on St Patrick's Day. There, he announced his own plans to run for Irish presidency. But the visit came just four months after McGregor was found liable for assault in a civil case against him dating back to 2018. The court heard how the professional fighter was said to have "brutally raped and battered" Nikita Hand in a penthouse at the Beacon Hotel. McGregor - who was ordered to pay Ms Hand about £206,000 in damages and pay her legal costs - has since sought an appeal. 'He's got the best tattoos I've ever seen' - Donald Trump reveals he is a fan of UFC icon Conor McGregor He was initially expected to include new evidence - but the Court of Appeal in Dublin heard that McGregor would no longer be relying on additional evidence. McGregor also punched a man in an Ibiza nightclub in June - with The Sun capturing the shocking moment. But the man - who works for Wayne Lineker - did not press charges. McGregor still has two fights left on his contract but even UFC boss Dana White cast doubt over a return. That was until Trump's teased an event at the White House. White later told YouTube group Nelk Boys: 'McGregor has gotten himself to a point where he is and will be, whether he stops fighting or not, one of the biggest superstars in sports, period. 'He's gotten to a level of success in his life where he has to, I think, be motivated by something. 'He's accomplished everything and especially financially. Now he's got to find something that truly motivates him to want to come back and do this again. I don't know if the White House is it, but we'll see.' Trump told a crowd in Iowa: "Does anybody watch UFC? The great Dana White? We're going to have a UFC fight. "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." 2
