Updated Dream UFC White House Card Predictions for June 2026
The UFC has put together some great fight cards to kick off 2026, but the event everyone is most anticipating is the long-discussed White House card, tentatively scheduled for June 14.
The White House event, which will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States, seemed like a pipe dream when President Donald Trump first broached it last year. However, it gradually became clear that the idea was legitimate, and as the new year gets underway, the plan is slowly coming together.
We know the event will occur on the White House's south lawn, where about 5,000 people are expected to be able to watch it live. We also know there will be an additional 85,000 fans in the park across the street, who will be able to watch on large screens.
What we don't know is what they'll actually be watching. As of mid-January, not a single bout has been announced on the card. While dozens of fighters have called for a spot on the bill, it remains a mystery who will actually get the opportunity.
Here's the card we would build if we were the UFC matchmakers.
Main Event: Alex Pereira vs. Jon Jones
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Few fighters have campaigned for a spot on the UFC White House lineup as loudly as Jon Jones. In fact, he wants to participate so badly that he has seemingly ended his retirement to do so.
If Jones does compete on the card, it's hard to imagine him fighting anybody but reigning UFC light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira.
Pereira, who recently began his third UFC title reign, is one of the greatest fighters of this generation and a massive name. That makes him a suitable opponent for Jones, who is arguably the best fighter ever, and one of the biggest stars in MMA history.
One wrinkle that would need to be ironed out is the weight class, as Pereira has spent most of his UFC run at light heavyweight, and Jones spent the last years of his career as a heavyweight.
However, Pereira has expressed an interest in moving up to heavyweight before, and would surely be willing to do so to fight Jon Jones on the White House lawn.
The fight could even determine the UFC's interim heavyweight champion, with undisputed champ Tom Aspinall out of action indefinitely as he faces double eye surgeries.
The only real hurdle is Dana White's reluctance. The UFC president has made it clear he doesn't trust Jones to show up for a card of this magnitude, but he can probably be convinced—particularly if the rest of the card is strong enough to make up for the last-minute cancelation of the main event.
Co-Main Event: Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler
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Despite not being American, Conor McGregor has been calling for a spot on the UFC White House lineup just as frequently as Jon Jones—maybe even more.
Given the former two-division champ is the biggest star we've ever seen in MMA, it would not be surprising if his wish is granted. If the UFC really wants this card to be a blockbuster, it will need him.
If McGregor does return for the card, his opponent will almost certainly be former Bellator champ Michael Chandler. They have been linked to a fight for years, and even coached a season of The Ultimate Fighter against each other. The bout hasn't materialized yet, but the White House event seems like the perfect setting, especially given Chandler's status as a flag-waving American patriot.
If this fight does get added to the bill, it's possible it could serve as the main event over Jones vs. Pereira. However, unlike Jones vs. Pereira, there is no credible way to attach a belt to the contest, which makes it a better fit for the co-main event, even if it's a buzzier contest.
The big problem, of course, is that McGregor has been talking about a comeback since his last fight, a loss to Dustin Poirier in 2021. Up to this point, it's seemed like all talk, but if anything is going to motivate the Irishman to put on the gloves again, it's this event.
Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes
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Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes were originally set to collide for bantamweight gold at UFC 324 on Jan. 24. However, we learned recently that the champion had been forced out of the matchup with a neck injury.
Assuming Harrison can be ready by June, this fight would make an excellent addition to the White House bill.
The 35-year-old is the only American-born UFC champ right now, and one of the best female fighters ever, with two Olympic gold medals and two PFL titles to prove it. Nunes, meanwhile, is clearly the GOAT of women's MMA, thanks to one of the greatest resumes in the sport's history.
Technically speaking, Harrison vs. Nunes should probably be the main event over Jones vs. Pereira or McGregor vs. Chandler. However, it was relegated to the UFC 324 co-main event under an interim lightweight title fight between Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje, so let's get real.
Petr Yan vs. Sean O'Malley II
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Russia's Petr Yan is again the UFC bantamweight champion, thanks to a beautiful decision win over Merab Dvalishvili in December.
His first title defense should probably be a rematch with Dvalishvili, but it seems very likely he'll be called upon to take on Sean O'Malley at the White House instead.
O'Malley is set to fight Song Yadong at UFC 324 next week, and if he loses, we can forget about this. If he wins, though, he'll again be in title contention, and as the biggest star in the bantamweight division, he might well be offered a title shot—especially since he beat Yan with a close decision the first time they met.
We know it's an opportunity he wants, as he's called for it multiple times. Yan, meanwhile, is unlikely to turn the matchup down, even if he's not American.
Colby Covington vs. Robert Whittaker
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No matter where you sit on the political spectrum, the UFC White House card is likely to feel more centered on Donald Trump than on the United States itself, especially with it taking place on his 80th birthday rather than on the country's 250th anniversary.
There is arguably no fighter more closely associated with Trump than Colby Covington. The former interim welterweight champ has supported the U.S. president since before his first term and even visited him at the White House once.
Covington has tumbled way out of title contention at welterweight, and he has few interesting matchups left in the division. However, he recently announced his plans to move to middleweight, and if he does, there are a host of fresh matchups available for him.
How about a contest with another former welterweight in Robert Whittaker? He is the former middleweight champ, but like Covington, has fallen out of title contention in his division.
The Australian seems like the perfect guy to welcome Covington to 185 pounds, and it's hard to imagine a better setting than the White House.
Undercard
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Much like UFC 300, and UFC 200 before it, the White House bill is likely to be stacked from top to bottom. That includes the undercard.
Our proposed undercard has a bit of everything, from fan favorites, to former champions, to rising prospects, to long-awaited grudge matches.
The order, of course, could easily be reworked, but here are the fights we'd like to see leading into the main card.
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