The UFC White House Card Just Dropped And I Have Some Thoughts

So after months of secret whiteboards and Dana White acting like he had the nuclear codes, the Freedom Fights 250 card is finally out. They dropped it during the UFC 326 broadcast last night and the whole world was watching.

The top two fights are great. But the rest of this card honestly is pretty mid for something that was supposed to be the greatest fight card ever assembled. That's Dana's words, not mine. And I just don't think this is that.

The Full Card

Here's what we got for June 14:

Ilia Topuria (c) vs. Justin Gaethje (ic) — Lightweight championship unification

Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane — Interim heavyweight championship

Sean O'Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi — Bantamweights

Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler — Lightweights

Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus — Middleweights

Diego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia — Featherweights

Six fights. No seventh. And if you're looking for Jon Jones or Conor McGregor on there, don't bother. They're not.

The Top Two Fights Are Legit Though

Topuria vs. Gaethje is going to be a war. Ilia is 17-0 and knocked out Charles Oliveira in less than half a round. The dude is terrifying right now. And Gaethje I mean, 15 UFC fights, 15 post-fight bonuses. Every single time he fights somebody gets a check. Every time. That's not even a stat that should be possible but here we are. These two are going to try to kill each other on national television and I'm here for all of it.

And Pereira moving up to heavyweight to fight Gane for the interim belt is a real fight with real stakes. If Pereira wins he becomes a three division champion. Middleweight, light heavyweight, heavyweight. Nobody's done that before so that would be pretty crazy. And he'd be doing it on the White House lawn with the Washington Monument behind him which is also crazy. This very well might be the most cinematic knockout backdrop in the history of the sport. I already know what the poster looks like. But anyway Gane is no joke either. Dude has only lost to Ngannou and Jones, and has the no-contest with Aspinall. He keeps getting close to that belt and this is another shot at it.

So yeah the top of this card is good. Two title fights, two matchups that actually matter. I'm not complaining about any of that.

But then you look at the rest and it's like... that's it?

No Jones. No McGregor.

Jones spent months talking about this card. Came out of retirement for it. Said he was in negotiations. Said he was a proud American. Posted training videos. And then he just didn't make the card. And truthfully I'm not even that surprised because Dana literally told us he didn't trust the man to show up. Jones has severe arthritis in his hip and a history of things falling apart at the worst time. When you're spending $60 million to put an Octagon on the White House lawn you can't have your main event pull out two weeks before the show. So they went with Pereira vs. Gane instead. I get it. It's the safer bet. I just wish we lived in the timeline where we were seeing Jones Vs Alex Pereira instead.

And Conor, bro. What is there even left to say. The man has announced more comebacks than actual fights at this point. His USADA suspension ends March 20, he was talking about the summer of Mac, he was telling everyone he was in negotiations for this card. And he's just not on it. They're supposedly pushing him to International Fight Week in July against Chandler which I'll believe that fight is happening when both guys are standing in the Octagon and the ref says go. I love what Conor was. But the fighter hasn't shown up since 2021 and at some point you gotta stop talking and actually do it.

Colby Covington is also not on the card and I could not care less. Moving on.

The Undercard Is Where I Start Having Problems

O'Malley vs. Zahabi is fine. Sean is a star, Zahabi is on a good run. But this isn't the Yan rematch or the Sandhagen fight that people wanted. On a normal card this is solid. On the White House lawn for what's supposed to be the biggest event ever? It's a Fight Night main event that got dressed up.

Ruffy vs. Chandler kind of hurts honestly. Chandler waited two years for the McGregor fight. Two full years. He coached TUF against Conor, turned down other opponents, did everything right. And now he's on the undercard against Mauricio Ruffy. Ruffy is talented, the kid from Fighting Nerds can fight, I'm not saying he can't. But that's not what Chandler waited for and everybody watching knows it. Real talk for a second, I feel for Chandler on this one. Dude got the short end of the stick because Conor couldn't get his act together and that really sucks.

Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus. I get why Nickal is here, he's Trump's golf buddy, the UFC is building him into a star, all that. But Kyle Daukaus? Come on. That's a fight that happens on a random Tuesday at the Apex and nobody even tweets about it. You're trippin if you think that's moving the needle for casual fans.

And Diego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia opening the show. Lopes is fun, Garcia always brings it, but this is the opener on the most hyped card in UFC history and most casual fans have never heard of either guy. That's a fight that makes total sense on a regular Fight Night. Here it just kind of reminds you that once you get past the two title fights, the card gets thin fast.

About That "Greatest Card Ever Assembled" Thing

I want to be clear about something because I don't want this to come off wrong. I respect what Dana and his team are doing with this event. Putting an Octagon on the White House lawn, paying $60 million out of pocket so taxpayers don't have to, having fighters walk out of the Oval Office. That's all insane in the best way and nobody else in combat sports is even thinking on that level. Dana deserves credit for the vision and I'll give it to him.

But he called this the greatest card ever assembled. And when you say that, people are going to compare it. UFC 205 had three title fights and Conor making history as a two-division champ. UFC 217 had three title changes in one night. UFC 300 had Pereira, Holloway knocking out Gaethje in the last second, Zhang Weili defending. Those cards were stacked from top to bottom.

This card has two great fights and then four fights you'd see on a random Saturday. It's a filet mignon dinner with gas station sides. The steak is incredible but you notice the sides.

And Dana didn't even need to oversell it that's the thing. The setting alone makes this historic. Two title fights with Pereira chasing three-division history and Topuria defending against one of the most violent lightweights ever. That's a great event on its own. Just say that. You don't need to call it the greatest card ever when three of your six fights could be on a Fight Night in April and nobody would think twice about it.

But If Those Title Fights Deliver...

If Topuria finishes Gaethje on the White House lawn on CBS a guy who has been through wars with Khabib, Poirier, Chandler, Oliveira, Holloway that's a moment people are going to be talking about for years. That's the kind of win that can turn a champion into the face of the sport basically overnight.

And if Pereira knocks out Gane and becomes a three-division champion with the White House behind him? Dude, that image is going to be everywhere forever. That's the UFC highlight reel for the next 20 years right there. If that happens it honestly doesn't matter what was on the undercard because nobody is going to remember anything else.

So yeah. The card could've been better. The undercard is thin. No Jones and no McGregor hurts. But if those top two fights deliver the way they could, none of the other stuff is going to matter and we're all probably going to be sitting here saying we just watched one of the best fights anyway.

Thanks for riding with CageLore. Stay locked in!

FAQ

What fights are on the UFC White House card?

Freedom Fights 250 features six fights: Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje for the undisputed lightweight title, Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title, Sean O'Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi, Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler, Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus, and Diego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia.

Is Jon Jones fighting at the UFC White House?

No. Despite months of lobbying and confirming he was in negotiations, Jon Jones is not on the Freedom Fights 250 card. Dana White had previously expressed concerns about trusting Jones to commit to the event.

Is Conor McGregor on the UFC White House card?

No. McGregor is not on the card despite campaigning for a spot. Reports suggest the UFC is targeting McGregor vs. Michael Chandler for International Fight Week in July 2026 instead.

How many title fights are at Freedom Fights 250?

Two. Ilia Topuria defends the undisputed lightweight championship against interim champion Justin Gaethje in the main event, and Alex Pereira faces Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight championship in the co-main event.

When is Freedom Fights 250?

The event is scheduled for Sunday, June 14, 2026, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C. It will air on CBS and Paramount+ with no pay-per-view required.

What does Freedom Fights 250 mean?

The name celebrates America's 250th anniversary, which is being commemorated throughout 2026. The event also falls on President Donald Trump's 80th birthday and the Flag Day holiday.