When U.S. President Donald Trump floated the idea in July that the UFC could stage a fight card on the White House South Lawn in 2026, MMA’s biggest names immediately began raising their hands to volunteer. Even retired fighters and fighters long removed from the sport, such as Jon Jones and Conor McGregor, were among the first to throw their hats in the ring.
While the details of a UFC event on the grounds of the nation’s capital are still unknown, UFC CEO Dana White told the Associated Press earlier this month that a Fourth of July event in Washington, D.C., is “absolutely going to happen” next year. He said an Aug. 28 meeting is scheduled with Trump and daughter Ivanka Trump to discuss fight plans and has promised to put on “the baddest card of all time.”
Yes, there are lots of UFC events to build, and so much will change between now and July 2026, but while the matchmakers are talking fights, why can’t we? Brett Okamoto and Andreas Hale put their heads together to devise their ultimate White House card, complete with returning legends, long-standing rivalries, title fights and more.
Early prelims
Jim Miller vs. Edson Barboza
In this scenario, two of the longest careers in UFC history could end on the same night. These two have been fighting for so long (77 combined UFC fights), it’s not easy to come up with the perfect way for their careers to end. How do you create the perfect final chapter of two careers that have seen it all? This would suffice. Miller and Barboza battle on the White House lawn, then leave their gloves in the Octagon together after. –Okamoto
Welterweight: Jorge Masvidal vs. Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson 2
This would be a fight between a returning anti-hero in Masvidal, who has had a temperamental relationship with UFC fans and would be coming out of retirement for his first UFC fight since 2023, against everyone’s friendly neighborhood “Wonderboy.” Although both have entered their 40s and are on streaks of at least three losses, their respective styles would make for an intriguing fight. Masvidal perfected his craft street fighting in Florida, while Thompson grew up honing his kickboxing skills under the tutelage of his father. The meeting of polar opposites in desperate need of a win is perfect for a card of this magnitude. — Hale
Middleweight: Israel Adesanya vs. Sean Strickland 2
1:50
Sean Strickland beats up on Israel Adesanya en route to shocking upset
Sean Strickland shocks the world and upsets Israel Adesanya to win the UFC middleweight championship.
One of several rematches on the card, this fight is all about redemption. Strickland upset Adesanya for the UFC title in shocking fashion in 2023, and nothing has been the same for Adesanya since. That five-round defeat to Strickland began a string of three straight losses, but Adesanya vs. Strickland really was never supposed to happen in the first place. Adesanya wanted Dricus Du Plessis but wasn’t patient enough to wait for him to heal from injury. Adesanya later revealed on his podcast that White tried to convince him not to take the first fight against Strickland. Adesanya doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone at this point, but he could go try to prove this loss was a fluke, if he wanted to. — Okamoto
Prelims
Women’s bantamweight: Miesha Tate vs. Holly Holm 2
1:22
Dana: Tate a bad matchup for Holm
UFC president Dana White warned Holly Holm that fighting Miesha Tate was a dangerous fight and it didn’t go in her way at UFC 196.
The first meeting between Tate and Holm took place in 2016 and changed the women’s MMA landscape. White wasn’t in favor of the booking. Holm was coming off one of the most famous wins in UFC history, a head kick knockout of Ronda Rousey, and White wanted Holm to wait for a Rousey rematch, but Holm didn’t like the idea of sitting. She demanded a fight against Tate and ended up succumbing to a rear-naked choke in the final round. Longtime fans can still picture Holm punching air as she went unconscious. Holm is no longer in the UFC, but she could always re-sign for one fight. This is a fantasy card, after all, and this would be a great story to add to it. — Okamoto
Men’s bantamweight: Sean O’Malley vs. Henry Cejudo
Cejudo has discussed retirement, and O’Malley’s career doesn’t have a clear direction for the first time ever, following back-to-back losses in title fights against Merab Dvalishvili. But these two have long expressed interest in fighting each other. They’re both essentially from Arizona at this point, having both resided there for the majority of their careers. O’Malley has trolled Cejudo on many occasions, going back at least five years. Lots of backstory to this matchup. — Okamoto
BMF championship: Max Holloway vs. Paddy Pimblett
There has to be a BMF title fight on a card of this magnitude, right? Fans love Holloway, and there’s no way he could be left off this card. Pimblett is arguably the fastest rising star in the UFC and continues to exceed expectations when he steps into the Octagon. As long as “Paddy the Baddy” hasn’t become the lightweight champion by the time this card rolls around, a fight with Holloway to determine the baddest man in the UFC would be a welcome addition to the card. Holloway is rarely, if ever, in an unexciting fight, and Pimblett has proved he brings the ruckus whenever the cage door shuts. This would be a certified U.S. vs. U.K. banger between fan favorites. — Hale
Middleweight championship: Khamzat Chimaev vs. Reinier de Ridder
If it wasn’t for the historic level of hype behind Chimaev, De Ridder would be considered the freight train of this division. He will make his fourth walk of 2025 in October, against another freight train in Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez. That’s a 50-50 fight, and in the event Hernandez wins, we’d elevate him to this list. De Ridder’s style and grappling pedigree versus Chimaev’s wrestling is a tantalizing matchup. Chimaev is emerging as one of the biggest stars in the UFC, and if things fall right, De Ridder would probably be considered his toughest matchup in the division. The White House lawn would be a good place to field it. — Okamoto
Main card
Light heavyweight championship: Alex Pereira vs. Carlos Ulberg
If Pereira regains the light heavyweight title when he rematches Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320 on Oct. 4, it would only be right for one of the most popular fighters on the roster to be part of the White House event. Standing across the Octagon from him would be the surging New Zealander on an eight-fight winning streak, Carlos Ulberg. The best “Poatan” fights are the ones that have little to no ground game, and Ulberg would almost certainly agree to keep the fight standing and slug it out for the 205-pound title. — Hale
Featherweight championship: Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes 2
2:00
Amanda Nunes, Kayla Harrison face off after Harrison wins belt
Kayla Harrison beats Julianna Peña and calls out Amanda Nunes, who declares in the Octagon she’s coming back.
Maybe Harrison beats Nunes in their first meeting, expected later this year or early next. Or maybe Nunes, who hasn’t fought since June 2023, comes back and gets the job done. Either way, the sport will be ready for an immediate rematch. This will be one of the biggest fights in women’s MMA history, which the sport needs right now as the women’s divisions have lacked depth in recent years. Harrison is a prime candidate to fight at the White House. Two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo for the U.S.? That’s tough to beat when it comes to constructing this card. The scenario will probably be better if Nunes wins the first fight and Harrison is looking for redemption on July 4, but either way, we’ll take it. — Okamoto
Lightweight: Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz 3
1:06
Relive first fight between McGregor, Diaz at UFC 196 in 2016
Check out the instant classic between Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz at UFC 196
There is only one fight that makes sense for the return of McGregor and that is to complete the trilogy against rival Diaz. McGregor is nowhere near a title opportunity and there’s no other opponent that makes sense for the Irishman to end his nearly half decade away from the UFC. If the UFC wants to lure Diaz back into the fold with a fight that would get him paid and not disrupt anything in the rankings, this would be it. In most cases, this would be the main event and most-watched event in any year, but the White House card is different. McGregor may not be insulted by the idea of not being the main event, as long as he’s fighting in front of Trump. Diaz wouldn’t care about placement as long as he’s fighting McGregor, whom he has repeatedly said is the only person he will fight. This card has all of the extraordinary elements necessary to bring together a fight MMA fans have long anticipated. — Hale
Welterweight championship: Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria
It feels inevitable we’ll get this matchup one way or another. It’s just a matter of when and at what weight. It would probably be most fair at lightweight, but most historic at welterweight. If Makhachev fights for and wins the welterweight championship later this year, he’ll be a double champion. Topuria already is a double champion. If Topuria were to move up to welterweight for this fight, he would attempt to become the first three-weight champion in UFC history. These two still have work to do that doesn’t involve each other, but they’re very aware that this fight is always building and percolating in one way or another. — Okamoto
Heavyweight championship: Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall
1:54
Why Stephen A. is ‘incredibly disappointed’ by Jon Jones’ UFC retirement
Stephen A. Smith explains his disappointment over Jon Jones retiring instead of fighting Tom Aspinall.
White has set the odds of the UFC including Jones on the White House card at “billion-to-1,” but we can’t help but include the Aspinall matchup as our No. 1 option. It’s the perfect fight — for any card, but especially this one. The American heavyweight GOAT versus the English heavyweight champion, on American Independence Day in the nation’s capital. Are you kidding? You can’t conjure a better scenario than this. So let us dream about it for a day and for the purpose of this piece, and then we can go back to the crippling disappointment that was Jones’ decision to duck Aspinall on his way out of the sport. — Okamoto