TLDR
- Dana White dismissed Conor McGregor vs Jorge Masvidal as “goofy” for the White House event
- UFC will begin matchmaking for the June 14 White House card on Monday, one day earlier than usual
- McGregor is negotiating a new UFC contract after the promotion’s $7.7 billion Paramount+ deal
- White plans to finalize the card by the second week of February and confirm details with President Trump
- The White House event will feature fights on the lawn with an 85,000-person viewing party planned
Sources: HITC | MMA Mania | MMA Fighting
UFC CEO Dana White shut down speculation about a potential Conor McGregor vs Jorge Masvidal bout at the upcoming White House event, calling the rumors “goofy” during a Tuesday interview with TMZ Sports. The comments come as White prepares to begin building the historic June 14 fight card.
White confirmed his matchmaking team will start constructing the White House card immediately after UFC 324 this Saturday on Paramount+. The process will begin Monday, one day earlier than the UFC’s usual Tuesday matchmaking schedule.
“This Saturday, when the fights end. Usually every Tuesday we have matchmaking,” White told TMZ Sports. “We will be matchmaking Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday we’ll be match making the White House card as soon as that fight is done.”
The accelerated timeline represents a shift from White’s original plan to wait until February before starting work on the presidential event. He now expects to have the card finalized by the second week of February.
🚨 Dana White shuts DOWN rumors of Conor McGregor vs Jorge Masvidal at the UFC White House event
"That's goofy sh*t." 😅 pic.twitter.com/LxybCPfWmg
— Razed MMA (@RazedFighting) January 21, 2026
McGregor’s Contract Negotiations Continue
Conor McGregor recently revealed he’s entering contract negotiations with the UFC in February following the promotion’s $7.7 billion deal with Paramount+. The former two-division champion says his current contract is void because it was based on pay-per-view sales, which the UFC has now eliminated.
“I’m going into negotiations with the Ultimate Fighting Championship in February, and I’m very interested to go,” McGregor said on a live stream. “They’ve actually got a new deal with Paramount. It’s worth $7.7 billion, so the company has 4x its profit.”
McGregor expressed confidence about competing at the White House event despite his contract situation. “I’m warming up now for the White House fight,” he said. “I’m gonna be at it, yeah. For sure.”
Former BMF champion Jorge Masvidal appeared willing to fight McGregor, but White quickly dismissed the matchup. White had also rejected a potential McGregor vs Michael Chandler fight five days earlier.
White House Event Plans Take Shape
The June 14 event is planned as a birthday celebration for President Donald Trump. The UFC has outlined ambitious plans including White House walkouts, fights on the White House lawn, and an 85,000-person viewing party.
White said the event will feature special guests from countries around the world as part of an overall Washington D.C. takeover. However, he hasn’t decided whether the card will be a numbered UFC event or receive special branding.
“I haven’t thought about it yet,” White said when asked about the event’s designation. “We haven’t gotten that far. I said I wouldn’t touch this card until February. Now I think we’ll have it dialed in by the second week of February.”
Reports suggest President Trump may have input on the fight card. Sources indicate Trump wants heavyweight champion Jon Jones to compete at the event, though White has also mentioned leaving the door open for a potential Jon Jones vs Alex Pereira superfight.
Once White finalizes a headliner and co-headliner, he plans to fly to the White House to confirm details with President Trump. UFC 324 this Saturday features Paddy Pimblett vs Justin Gaethje as the main event, marking the promotion’s official debut on Paramount+.
White confirmed the matchmaking process will span multiple days next week as his team works to assemble a card worthy of the historic venue and occasion.
