The fog around the UFC White House card is finally lifting. UFC officials are shaping it into one of the “baddest cards” in history, set for June 14, 2026, Donald Trump’s 80th birthday and Flag Day. At last week’s UFC 323 post-fight press conference, UFC CEO Dana White confirmed that the promotion will start building the White House card in February.

To match the ambition, Trump has already revealed that Dana White plans to build a temporary arena for around 5,000–6,000 fans on the South Lawn, with giant screens on the grounds to let as many as 100,000 more watch from the White House property itself.

Meanwhile, he also reinforced heavyweight fan favorite Derrick Lewis’s spot, saying, “President Trump loves Derrick Lewis.” Overall, these developments highlight the influence Donald Trump wields over the UFC White House card. With the latest updates, Trump is also adding more pressure on Dana White to deliver on the bold promises for the event.

Donald Trump sheds light on Dana White’s pause on UFC title matchups

Eight of the UFC’s male divisions have yet to defend their titles. Meanwhile, none of the current male champions have actively defended their belts. With most divisions on pause, it feels like the majority of title defenses are on hold.

For instance, heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall’s first title defense against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 ended in a no-contest after a brutal eye poke, leaving him still without an official defense and the division in limbo. Similarly, light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira reclaimed his 205-pound belt in October, but the UFC has yet to announce his first defense.

However, Donald Trump, at last night’s Takes Center Stage at the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors, offered an update. “They are going to have 8 or 9 championship fights,” Trump said. “It’s the biggest fights they’ve ever had; every fight is a championship fight. He’s actually holding back fights right now for 6 months, so he can do them on the 250th anniversary.”

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Looking ahead, middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev will remain sidelined due to injury until next year, while lightweight champion Ilia Topuria has stepped away for personal reasons.

Meanwhile, featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is set to defend his title at UFC 325, and bantamweight champion Petr Yan, along with flyweight champion Joshua Van, both claimed their belts just last week.

Trump’s latest comments have raised plenty of questions. How will the promotion make this possible? Will they create new belts? And where will inactive stars like Conor McGregor & Jon Jones fit in, given that their placement depends more on star power than current rankings?

White hypes UFC White House as Conor McGregor’s triple crown bid adds excitement

Conor McGregor is returning to the Octagon with a serious mindset after more than four years away and is already planning his future UFC moves. With two fights remaining on his 37-year-old contract, he intends to use them fully. First, on June 14, McGregor wants to face Michael Chandler, and afterward, he plans to challenge the newly crowned lightweight kingpin, Islam Makhachev.

At The Black Forge Inn, he described himself as “self-motivated” and hungry for another belt: “I for sure want a crack at that 170-pound belt to go for the triple crown.” When Makhachev’s name came up, he called it “a good fight…southpaw vs. southpaw,” thereby igniting tension with ‘Team Khabib.’

Even though McGregor’s future in the UFC remains undecided, Dana White still considers him a golden asset. Recently, when asked about ‘The Notorious,’ Dana White responded, “He’s making money and has created a ton of successful businesses… he’s done well for himself.” Then he added the line that dominated headlines everywhere: “He’s one of one, man. He’s a unicorn.”

What’s your take on Conor McGregor’s pursuit of a third belt? Do you think Dana White will put him on the UFC White House card, especially following Donald Trump’s latest announcement? Share your thoughts below.