With the upcoming UFC White House event built around the 250th anniversary of the United States, the expectation was simple: big fights, big names, and a strong American presence. But according to Colby Covington, the matchmaking tells a different story. ‘Chaos’ has been vocal for months about wanting a spot on this card.

Given his public support for President Donald Trump and his history with the promotion, he believed he was a natural fit. That didn’t happen. Instead, he’s watching from the outside and now openly critiquing the lineup. And this time, he’s also laying out a warning for one of the UFC’s most violent fan favorite fighters.  Speaking to Daniel Cormier in a recent interview, he didn’t hold back, especially when discussing Justin Gaethje’s title unification bout against Ilia Topuria.

“I mean, it’s the celebration of the 250th birthday of the greatest country on God’s green earth, America,” Covington said. “And, you’d think that there’d be more American fighters on it from top to bottom. You’d think that there’d maybe be some favorable matches for the American, but to send Gaethje out there to get slaughtered. Ilia Topuria is the best fighter on the planet right now. No one can, I think, dispute that.”

”I mean, he’s just finishing these guys, Holloway, Volkanovski, and Oliveira. He’s just on another level right now. He’s in his prime, and you know Gaethje is on his way down, and there’s no you know beating father time. I just feel like they could have put more Americans in bigger fights, and they didn’t put the best American fighters on the card.”

Whether you agree or not, it’s a debate rooted in numbers and mileage. Gaethje has been in multiple wars, absorbed heavy damage, and built his reputation on risk-heavy striking, eating shots to land his own. That style doesn’t age easily.

But Colby Covington didn’t stop there. He widened the criticism to the entire card. While he gave props to Sean O’Malley for being a reliable draw, he questioned other American names being featured. Fighters like Michael Chandler were also called out, with Covington suggesting the veteran is being put in tough spots late in his career, as he shared, “another guy is getting sent to slaughter on our birthday for America.”

The White House card is already historic with a reported $60 million production, a limited-capacity arena on the South Lawn, and potentially over 100,000 fans watching from The Ellipse. Add a $1 million bonus pool, and the stakes are clear.

But Covington’s point cuts deeper than just names. It’s about identity. For a card tied so closely to American history, should the UFC have leaned heavier on American stars? Because while Covington sees a mismatch. Others might see a potential classic, and that’s the debate that’s been running ever since the event was announced. However, according to Dana White, there’s a reason why ‘Chaos’ was snubbed for the event.

Dana White pulls back the curtain on Colby Covington’s omission from UFC Freedom 250

According to Dana White, there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes than what Colby Covington is letting on publicly. A high-profile American fighter, closely tied to Donald Trump, left off a card built around the country’s 250th anniversary, seemed to be the narrative ‘Chaos’ was pushing. But White pushed back on that narrative hard after UFC 327, and his explanation shifts the conversation away from favoritism and toward logistics.

“Yeah, of course, there’s the whole Colby thing,” the UFC CEO shared at the post-fight press conference. “Every time you hear something publicly from these guys and ‘oh this didn’t happen, that didn’t happen’, always remember this — this is common sense — we have to get these guys three fights a year. If we don’t, we have to pay them even if they don’t fight. We’re always offering guys fights and if he didn’t make it on the White House card, there’s absolutely positively a reason… ”

White also dismissed the idea that the UFC sidelines fighters, insisting the promotion does the opposite. He emphasized that they run “44 cards” each year, fighters frequently drop out, and opportunities are constantly being offered, so everyone on the roster gets chances to stay active rather than being left waiting.

Covington’s recent activity also matters here. He hasn’t fought in the UFC since 2024. Instead, he’s stayed visible through RAF matches. But that’s not the same as staying active in the Octagon.

So, to tie it all together, ‘Chaos’ sees a missed opportunity with a card tied to American history, hosted at the White House, and he’s not on it. From his point of view, the lineup should reflect that theme more clearly, and matchups like Justin Gaethje vs. Ilia Topuria look like a severe mismatch. And if Covington got skipped for the event, Dana White has made it clear, there’s a reason behind it.