UFC Plans Historic White House Championship Event as McGregor Signals Comeback Despite Sexual Assault Verdict
President Trump announces first-ever UFC fight on White House lawn to celebrate America’s 250th birthday, with Conor McGregor eager to compete while appealing civil sexual assault verdict
Trump Unveils White House UFC Showdown for Nation’s Semiquincentennial
President Donald Trump revealed plans Thursday for a UFC championship fight on the White House lawn in 2026, describing it as a centerpiece of America’s 250th birthday celebrations. Speaking at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, Trump praised UFC president Dana White as “one of a kind” and confirmed the event would welcome an estimated crowd of 25,000 to the grounds of the executive mansion, according to a report by Bloody Elbow.
McGregor Quickly Stakes His Claim to Spotlight
No fighter has embraced the moment more eagerly than Conor McGregor, who took to X (formerly Twitter) on Independence Day to declare:
“Happy 4th of July, USA. Excited with President Trump announcing a UFC fight event at the White House. I would be honoured! Count me in!”
McGregor, who hasn’t fought in more than four years, also posted a photograph of himself with Trump, taken earlier this year. Shortly after, he shared a screenshot of his private conversation with Dana White, showing McGregor sending two voice notes and White replying in all caps: “I LOVE IT.”
UFC President White Lends Support with Signature Enthusiasm
Dana White has largely kept quiet about McGregor’s stalled comeback but wasted no time endorsing the idea of the Irishman’s return for the White House event. His emphatic reply to McGregor—“I LOVE IT”—surfaced via McGregor’s screenshot, marking his clearest sign yet that UFC is open to featuring its biggest star again on its largest stage.
White is tasked with building the octagon and organizing the championship-level bouts on White House grounds, per Trump’s announcement. The President outlined a “full fight” program with both professional and amateur competitions, describing the spectacle as “a big deal” for the milestone year.
Legal Challenges Loom Over McGregor’s Prospects
McGregor’s bid to headline the historic event comes at a time when his personal and legal troubles continue to unfold. In 2024, an Irish jury found McGregor civilly liable for sexually assaulting Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel in December 2018, awarding her over €248,000 in damages. While a co-defendant, James Lawrence, was cleared of liability, the jury determined McGregor bore responsibility.
McGregor has appealed the verdict, arguing that the jury failed to specify the nature of the assault clearly and mishandled his police interview statements. His appeal hearings began earlier this month in Dublin. The case also led to McGregor’s removal as the face of Proper No. Twelve Irish whiskey, the brand he helped launch. In a statement after the trial, Hand called the experience a “nightmare” and encouraged survivors of sexual assault to come forward.
UFC Event Signals Mainstream Breakthrough for MMA
For the UFC, the White House fight represents more than a milestone in politics and sports—it is also one of the first major events under its new broadcast deal, underscoring the sport’s arrival into the American mainstream. Other prominent fighters have already expressed interest in joining the card, but none match McGregor’s notoriety or box office draw.
Whether McGregor’s legal circumstances will prevent him from competing remains to be seen. For now, both he and White appear intent on seizing the opportunity, even as the shadow of his civil liability lingers over his comeback.
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