There may end up being just six or seven fights at the White House this summer, despite Donald Trump claiming “eight or nine championship” bouts are in the UFC’s plans for 14 June.
That is the provisional date for an unprecedented fight card, which would mark a unique celebration of the US president’s 80th birthday and 250 years of his nation’s existence
And Mr Trump suggested in December: “They’re gonna have eight or nine championship fights, the biggest fights they’ve ever had. Every one’s a championship fight, and everyone’s a legendary type of fighter.
“[UFC president Dana White] is actually holding back fights right now, for six months, so he can do it for [14] June.”
But according to Ari Emanuel – the CEO of the UFC’s ownership group, TKO – that might have been an optimistic prediction by Mr Trump, or changes might have been made since then.
“Dana’s working on it right now,” Emanuel said on The Pat McAfee Show. “There’s going to be, approximately, six to seven fights, 14 June.
“He hasn’t said to us what the card is gonna be, but I know they’re working pretty hard at it right now […] It’s gonna be CBS, Paramount+. I mean, I don’t know who is not watching that fight [card].”
Mr Trump had also said, “I think the arena’s gonna be 5,000 or 6,000 seats, right in front of the front door of the White House, and 100,000 people in the back, where they’re putting up eight or 10 very big screens.”
But Emanuel suggested: “At the White House, I think it’s 3,000-4,000 [attendees], and then there will be other areas [to watch the fights].”
UFC president White has said the Octagon will be built on the South Lawn, and he previously hinted at “snipers” while discussing security measures. Furthermore, there will be no ticket sales, per TKO president Mark Shapiro.
Currently, no regular UFC champions are scheduled to defend their titles at any upcoming events. On 7 March, Max Holloway will defend the “Baddest Motherf*****” belt against Charles Oliveira, but none of the official, divisional titles are linked to scheduled fights.
The only title bout so far this year have seen Alexander Volkanovski retain his featherweight belt against Diego Lopes and Justin Gaethje win the interim lightweight strap against Paddy Pimblett. Kayla Harrison was due to defend her bantamweight title against Amanda Nunes in January, but the champion suffered an injury that derailed the fight.
Jon Jones and Conor McGregor are among the former champions to have called for a spot on the White House card, but White has been coy on their involvement. White suggested that Jones, who retired last summer after a career full of legal troubles and failed drug tests, might not be reliable, while McGregor has had his own legal issues since his last fight five years ago.
