UFC CEO Dana White says a historic UFC Fight Night at the White House is officially set for July 4, 2026, to celebrate America’s 250th birthday. White will travel to Washington later this month to meet with President Donald Trump and Ivanka Trump to finalize logistics for the unprecedented event. President Trump first floated the idea last month, envisioning a fight card on the White House South Lawn with up to 20,000 spectators.
“It’s absolutely going to happen,” White told The Associated Press. “Think about that the 250th birthday of the United States of America, the UFC will be on the White House South Lawn live on CBS.”
From $2 Million Purchase to White House Main Stage
The idea of cage fights at the White House would have been unimaginable in 2001, when the Fertitta brothers purchased the UFC for $2 million and put White in charge. Since then, White has grown the UFC into a global powerhouse, leading to a $4 billion sale in 2016 and securing major broadcast deals with Fox, ESPN, and now Paramount.
The UFC’s new seven year, $7.7 billion U.S. rights deal with Paramount begins in 2026. All U.S. events will stream exclusively on Paramount+, with select numbered cards simulcast on CBS.
“You have the NFL, the NBA, the UFC, and soccer globally,” White said. “We’re coming. We’re coming for all of them.”
Paramount also plans to explore international UFC rights as they become available.
A “One-of-One” Event
White called the White House card a “one-of-one event” and said UFC matchmakers are already discussing the lineup, though it’s too early to name a main event. He promised a “loaded” debut card for Paramount’s first UFC broadcast.
There are still production and scheduling details to iron out as the promotion transitions to the Paramount era. The future of UFC staples like The Ultimate Fighter, Road to UFC, and Dana White’s Contender Series is under review, and start times for major events could change when CBS is involved.
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Robert LaMar is a writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
