Las Vegas Raiders’ 5x Pro Bowl defensive end Maxx Crosby has never stepped inside the White House. That changes on June 14, when he heads to the South Lawn for UFC Freedom 250, the first mixed martial arts event hosted inside the White House grounds.

“I’m excited. I like history,” Crosby said in an interview with Fox News Digital. “It’s incredible that we all have an opportunity to celebrate our country and just be a part of a historic event. … We live in the greatest country in the world, and it should be celebrated.”

The main event is Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje for the lightweight title. The other fights on the card include Alex Pereira vs. Cyril Gane for the interim heavyweight title, and four additional fights across different weight classes (bantamweight, lightweight, middleweight, and featherweight) will round out the event. And Crosby already knows who he’s going there to see in action.

“I think everyone knows how much I love Justin Gaethje,” Crosby said in the interview. “Justin Gaethje is one of the greatest fighters to ever do it, and he’s an absolute legend. He’s also a great friend, so I’ll definitely be biased for him. I want to see him go to the White House and do his thing for sure.”

Back in May, UFC president Dana White had revealed that it was President Donald Trump who first suggested the idea to White. Per an interview with The New Yorker, White was at an event with Trump when the President said, “We should do a fight at the White House.” Within 48 hours, the wheels were set in motion for the Freedom 250.

For Maxx Crosby, this fight goes beyond just the entertainment value or the historic venue. In an appearance on ESPN’s UFC Live last year, he shared that he was introduced to the sport as a kid by his father, and has been a “Super fan” ever since. It was something that followed him to Las Vegas, and reached a point where Dana White was asking Crosby to step inside the ring. UFC’s chief business officer, William Hunter Campbell, declared that Crosby could be a heavyweight champion.

In that interview, Crosby had said, “We’ll see what happens” when faced with the UFC being a career move for him.

With the UFC Freedom 250, Crosby’s fan connection and friendship with White make this White House trip more than just a celebrity appearance. It’s a Super Fan living out his dream, at least as a spectator. Interestingly, though, that’s the opposite of what Fernando Mendoza has been doing.

While Crosby is looking forward to his White House visit, Mendoza had already skipped Indiana’s national championship White House celebration on May 11. One Raiders star is going to the White House this weekend. The rookie they’ve built around has already turned down that chance.

Fernando Mendoza’s offseason focus

The Indiana Hoosiers went 16-0 in 2025 and won the College Football national championship. They visited the White House on Monday, May 11. Mendoza was the only major absence from the celebrations. He called President Trump to explain that he couldn’t miss practice, and even explained the reason at the rookie minicamps.

“I’m on the bottom of the totem pole here,” Mendoza said. “I got to prove myself, I can’t just miss practice, I don’t know anything official, I don’t have the calendar, but I just wouldn’t. As a rookie, I don’t think that’s a good look, and I want to try to best serve my teammates. And I don’t know if that’d be accomplishing that goal.”

Mendoza stayed home during the 2026 NFL Draft because the commute to Pittsburgh (where the draft happened) and then to Las Vegas would have been very difficult for his mother. He has also said he wasn’t happy leaving work for the NFLPA Rookie Premiere. It’s the same pattern Mendoza has displayed over the years: family over ceremony, work for photo ops. And it’s something even Maxx Crosby has noticed.

“I think he’s done an incredible job of just being one of the guys, being humble, being a sponge,” Crosby said on his Fox News Digital interview, “just learning from everybody and asking questions.”

While Crosby noted that the rookie still has a lot of work to do, and made it clear there will be no concessions for the reigning Heisman winner, he also sees the upside Mendoza brings. When asked about drawing comparisons between Mendoza and other NFL stars, Crosby’s stance was clear:

“A lot of times people try to make comparisons,” Crosby noted. “People just need to allow Fernando to be Fernando. I think he’s going to be a really special player.”

Fernando Mendoza is putting in the work, dodging spectacles, and showing up where it counts the most. Maxx Crosby, meanwhile, is embracing his UFC roots and heading to the White House for the first time. Once he returns, both stars tackle training camp and the 2026 season beyond.