Matt Brown isn’t buying the hype. As the UFC finalizes plans for its June 14 event on the White House lawn, speculation continues to swirl about what could headline the historic card. UFC CEO Dana White has promised one of the biggest events in promotional history. UFC owner Ari Emanuel even revealed the card may feature just six to seven fights, raising expectations even higher.
However, Matt Brown believes fans should pump the brakes. Speaking on The Fighter vs. The Writer, Matt Brown made it clear that he thinks the UFC may be setting itself up for disappointment.
“It’s hard to imagine you’re not [setting yourself up for disappointment],” Matt Brown said. “Because they don’t have the stars that they used to have and Conor’s not fighting on it. I don’t give a f*ck what anybody says. I don’t care what he says. I don’t care what Dana [White] says. They’re using him to promote it and using his name to get it out there. He’s not fighting on that shit.
“Even if that is signed and a done deal, I’m not going to believe it until he is inside the octagon and a punch is thrown. Even in the walkout I might be like something is going to happen here. When a punch is thrown, I’ll be like all right I guess he’s fighting.”
Matt Brown has long maintained that Conor McGregor may never return to the Octagon after suffering a broken leg in 2021. Despite ongoing rumors tying McGregor to the White House event, Brown remains unconvinced.
Another potential blockbuster involves Jon Jones facing Alex Pereira. On paper, it’s one of the biggest fights the UFC could book right now.
“I can’t think six to seven fights that are that gigantic,” Matt Brown said. “Unless you get Jones and Pereira as the main event, which even then is it going to be an exciting fight? Is Jones not going to fcking take him down and finish him in a minute or two? Jon’s not going to fck around with him on the feet.”
Matt Brown questions whether the competitive intrigue matches the spectacle. If Jones dominates quickly, the fight may not deliver the drama fans expect.
Beyond individual matchups, Matt Brown sees a bigger issue: the lack of American star power for a White House card.
“I think the even bigger issue is they can make some pretty significant, good fights but what about Americans?”
Matt Brown said. “It’s at the White House. That’s the problem, they have so few American [stars]. That’s a problem.
“Unless they just go ahead and say you know what? F*ck whether it’s American or not, we’ll just make it international, which is what I think you almost have to do and the UFC is an international sport. I don’t know how much they’re going to care about that or not. Maybe they just make the biggest fights that they can make.”
Matt Brown acknowledges the UFC’s global reach, but he believes optics matter when hosting an event at the White House.
At the end of the day, Matt Brown isn’t dismissing the event entirely. He simply believes the expectations may outpace reality.
For now, the UFC White House card remains one of the most talked-about events in MMA history. But if Matt Brown is right, fans should brace themselves, because hype and delivery don’t always land in the same place.
