The shocking secrets Dana White used to build the UFC White House card

Photo by Mat Hayward/Getty Images

The shocking secrets Dana White used to build the UFC White House card

Originally posted on HITC | By Harvey Leonard | Last updated May 29, 2026 5:18 PM ET

White says he was the one who decided which fights would be included on the June 14 card.

It’s expected to be one of the biggest cards of the year, and will take place at the White House lawn in Washington D.C. UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria is set to headline against Justin Gaethje, while Ciryl Gane and Alex Pereira are scheduled to fight for interim heavyweight gold earlier on the card.

The full card has been met with some criticism. Many fans feel let down by just seven fights, especially considering how much hype had built up around it. While there have been claims that Dana White didn’t have much control over how it came together, he says that wasn’t the case.

It may not have been everyone’s ideal lineup, but as far as White is concerned, he took matters into his own hands and made what he thought were the best picks for such a unique venue. The special event at The White House happened during, which was already looking like one of 2026’s standout months.

But despite how packed that month was shaping up to be even before UFC on ABC 10 rolled around, fans were still underwhelmed by how little there seemed to be surrounding what should’ve been a landmark day for UFC history. Still, this unique event had several cool moments attached to it from start to finish.

Photo by Mat Hayward/Getty Images

White says he personally chose the card for UFC White House from a list of potential matchups

These days, Dana White often insists that he has little say in how UFC cards come together. According to him, those decisions are made by chief business officer Hunter Campbell and the promotion’s two head matchmakers, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby.

But during an appearance on The Katie Miller Podcast earlier this month, White said that for this event, he was directly involved. After being shown a list of potential matchups by Campbell and the matchmakers, White picked the final lineup himself.

“I have a matchmaking team. The matchmakers went out and laid out every fight that was possible, and then I picked the card,” White said.

He added: “A lot of guys and girls wanted to fight on the card. I went with what fights really matter in the division, what fights we think would be great fights, and who can I count on that I know is gonna show up and deliver.”

This approach reportedly played a part in Jon Jones being left off the event. Dana White has publicly dismissed Jones’ attempts to return for this one, saying he couldn’t be relied upon for an event of this magnitude after years away from competition.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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