TLDR
- Sean O’Malley says he hasn’t received any call from UFC about fighting at the White House event on June 14, 2026
- Dana White confirmed matchmaking meetings started last week, but no fights have been officially announced
- O’Malley recently defeated Song Yadong at UFC 324 and wants a rematch with Petr Yan at the White House
- The White House card will feature 6-7 fights on the South Lawn with 3,000-4,000 live spectators
- Tom Aspinall’s eye injury has complicated main event plans, with rumors of Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane circulating
Sources: MMA News | Sportsnaut | MMA Weekly
Sean O’Malley says he hasn’t received any contact from the UFC about fighting at the White House event scheduled for June 14, 2026. The former bantamweight champion shared his concerns on his YouTube channel and social media this week.
“They said they were starting the White House card last week, Tuesday matchmaking,” O’Malley told his subscribers. “I haven’t got a call, I haven’t got a jingle, haven’t heard anything.”
The revelation comes after UFC President Dana White confirmed following Zuffa Boxing 3 on Sunday that matchmaking meetings for the historic event had already started. White previously stated in early February that fights would be “dialed in by this weekend.”
O’Malley’s Recent Return to Winning
O’Malley bounced back with a unanimous decision victory over Song Yadong at UFC 324 in January. That win ended a two-fight losing streak to current bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili.
The #3-ranked bantamweight lost his championship to Dvalishvili twice in 2025. He suffered a unanimous decision loss at UFC 306, then a submission defeat at UFC 316.
After beating Yadong, O’Malley called for a rematch against Petr Yan specifically at the White House event. He previously defeated Yan at UFC 280 in October 2022, a victory that eventually led to his championship reign.
White House Card Still Without Confirmed Fights
The UFC White House event remains without a single officially announced fight despite being only four months away. The card is expected to feature approximately 6-7 fights on the South Lawn.
Between 3,000 and 4,000 live spectators will attend on the White House grounds. An additional 85,000 fans are expected to watch from The Ellipse on large screens.
The event will stream on Paramount+ as part of the UFC’s $7.7 billion broadcast deal. It represents the first time a professional MMA event will take place at the White House.
O’Malley speculated about potential headliners for the card during his YouTube discussion. He mentioned rumors involving big names like Jon Jones and a possible Conor McGregor versus Nate Diaz matchup.
Heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall recently underwent double eye surgery to repair damage from a poke by Ciryl Gane. His injury has complicated plans for the main event.
Rumors have surfaced about a potential interim heavyweight title fight between light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira and Gane. O’Malley expressed mixed feelings about that possibility.
“Pereira vs. Gane, I feel like that would be a little bit of a disappointment,” O’Malley said. “But they would call it the interim belt, triple champ. I mean, there’s something they could do with that.”
Aspinall revealed he sees a “black spot” constantly and gets dizzy during footwork drills. His condition has put him on the sidelines indefinitely.
O’Malley remains hopeful about his chances despite the silence from UFC matchmakers. “The ol’ ‘Suga Show’ might not be on the White House,” he said, holding onto hope given the event is still four months away.
The former champion is one of the UFC’s biggest draws and most popular fighters on social media. His colorful personality and knockout power have made him a fan favorite since joining the promotion.
