Dana White is not entertaining rumours, especially when it comes to the UFC’s historic White House card.
As the UFC prepares to host a blockbuster event at the White House on June 14, speculation has exploded about who will headline the once-in-a-lifetime show. Big names like Conor McGregor and Jon Jones have already thrown their hats into the ring. But according to Dana White, fans should slow down on believing everything they read.
One rumoured matchup, in particular, caught fire this week and Dana White wasted no time shutting it down.
An MMA outlet claimed that Conor McGregor vs. Colby Covington was “highly likely” to headline the White House card. The report even featured a promotional graphic of the two fighters inside an Octagon set against the White House backdrop, labelling the fight as “leaked.”
The post read: “Not confirmed yet by the UFC, but it is highly possible that the main event for the UFC White House card is going to be Conor McGregor vs Colby Covington. This fight has been rumored the last few weeks after Dana said Conor will not be fighting vs Michael Chandler.”
Dana White quickly responded in the comments and he did not mince words.
“Total BS,” White wrote.“White House matchmaking meeting is tomorrow. Mick Maynard flying in tomorrow for it.We will have fights dialed in by this weekend.”
With that, Dana White made it clear that no main event has been finalized and certainly not leaked. The UFC CEO and his matchmakers are currently building what could become one of the biggest events in company history. Although fans will not sit cageside in traditional arena fashion, the spectacle is still expected to draw massive global attention from the nation’s capital.
Originally, many expected Conor McGregor to settle his long-running rivalry with Michael Chandler at the White House event. However, Dana White recently hinted that the McGregor vs. Chandler matchup is no longer in play. Since then, speculation has linked McGregor to potential opponents such as Jorge Masvidal, Mauricio Ruffy and now Covington.
McGregor has not competed since suffering a broken leg against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. He was scheduled to return against Chandler at UFC 303 in 2024 before withdrawing due to a toe injury. Now, his comeback remains one of the biggest question marks surrounding the White House card.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump previously suggested that the event could feature “eight or nine” title fights. That claim raised eyebrows across the MMA world. UFC Executive Chairman Ari Emanuel later provided a more measured update.
“At the White House, I think it’s 3,000-4,000 (fans) then there will be more in other areas,” Emanuel said. “Dana’s working on it right now. There’s gonna be approximately six-seven fights on June 14, so he hasn’t said to us what the card’s gonna be, but I know they’re working pretty hard on it right now.”
That statement appears to contradict the idea of stacking the event with nearly double-digit championship bouts.
For now, all eyes remain on Dana White and the upcoming matchmaking meeting. If his comments are any indication, fans should expect concrete announcements soon, but not before the UFC finalizes its plans behind closed doors.
