Dana White confirms UFC will break one of its strictest rules for Trump-linked White House fight night | International Sports News
The UFC is set to stage one of the most unusual events in its history on June 14, and it will not follow its usual playbook. UFC CEO Dana White has confirmed that the promotion will break one of its own long-standing rules for the White House card, making changes it has avoided for years.
A White House card unlike anything before
UFC Freedom 250, often referred to as the “UFC White House” card, is slated to take place on Sunday, June 14, 2026, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington D.C., coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence (1776–2026) and the 80th birthday of US president Donald Trump. While the event was initially proposed for July 4th to align directly with Independence Day celebrations, it was ultimately moved to June 14th to coincide with Flag Day and Trump’s birthday, with the president personally lobbying for the White House to host the card. Reports also indicated that logistical and security challenges played a key role in shifting the date, as staging a large-scale sporting event at the White House on July 4th was considered complex.The event is expected to serve as a centerpiece of national celebrations and will feature a reduced seven-fight card, far fewer than the 12 or 13 bouts typically seen on numbered UFC events. Tickets are expected to be distributed to members of the military. The main event will see Ilia Topuria defend his lightweight title against Justin Gaethje, while the co-main event features Alex Pereira taking on Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title. The card also includes Derrick Lewis, who was added after a direct request from Trump. White revealed that the call came during UFC 327, and he acted immediately, phoning Lewis to confirm his place on the card. Lewis has since been matched up against Josh Hokit, who recently improved to 9-0 with a decision win over Curtis Blaydes in Miami.
The rule UFC is breaking
The biggest shift isn’t on the card, it’s in how the event will start.Speaking in a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, Dana White confirmed that UFC Freedom 250 will include a live performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” something the promotion has avoided for years.“We don’t do the national anthem,” White said, explaining that his issue has always been with how it slows down events and doesn’t fit the UFC’s global structure. “One of the things that drives me crazy with boxing is they have to sing two national anthems and all of this stuff before the fight starts. We’re an international business. We have people from everywhere.”He explained that the concern has always been about the global nature of the sport. “We could end up singing two national anthems that are not even from this country, plus, the whole world’s watching us. We’re in over a billion homes worldwide so I don’t do it.”That position is being set aside for this event. “This will be the first time in a very long time, since like UFC double-digits, that we’ve done the national anthem,” White said, confirming that Zac Brown will perform it on June 14.
Bonus structure also adjusted
The UFC is also making a second change for the event, this time to its bonus system. While the usual Fight of the Night and Performance bonuses will still be awarded, an additional $1 million in post-fight bonuses will be introduced through sponsor Crypto.com. The extra incentives have been described as the largest bonus pool in UFC history and will apply across all 14 fighters on the card.
What makes this event different
From the venue to the card and now the format, UFC Freedom 250 is being treated differently from a standard event. White has previously indicated that fighters could walk out from the Oval Office, although current expectations are that only the main event fighters will do so. Combined with the national anthem and the scale of the card, it marks a clear shift from the UFC’s usual presentation.
