Ilia Topuria’s UFC return may not take place in Washington D.C. after all.
One of the leading topics in 2026 has been the UFC’s plan to stage an event on the White House lawn on June 14.
Plenty of big names want to be part of the national celebration, with Jon Jones and Conor McGregor among those calling to headline the card.
Recent reports suggested that Topuria’s unification fight against Justin Gaethje was likely to get main event status at the White House. But the latest update has suggested that plans could be changing.
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Ilia Topuria vs Justin Gaethje is not as likely for UFC White House as it previously was
According to Spanish reporter Alvaro Colmenero, the chances of Gaethje’s third crack at the undisputed lightweight belt headlining the White House event have “decreased.”
That fight appeared to be a no-brainer for the UFC after Gaethje beat Paddy Pimblett to become a two-time interim lightweight champion.
Not many US stars are as popular as ‘The Highlight’, making him a logical choice for the main event of a card celebrating 250 years of American independence.
But Colmenero has suggested that “geopolitical and economic” reasons could delay Topuria vs Gaethje until a later event.
“Regarding Ilia Topuria’s fight against Gaethje at the White House: The fight has NOT been signed, and despite being a possibility, the chances of it taking place there have decreased,” Colmenero wrote on X.
“There are several geopolitical and economic arguments against the fight being held at the WH,” he added.
Who else could headline the UFC White House event?
Should Colmenero’s report be a sign that the UFC does have other plans, it is unclear what those may be.
A number of hurdles already appeared to eliminate some of the top stars from the White House equation. While Dana White has rejected Jones’ comeback pleas consistently for months, other factors could dent McGregor’s hopes.
The elimination of the pay-per-view model under the $7.7 billion Paramount broadcast deal and the lack of a live gate for the White House event have been labeled as factors that could prevent the UFC’s biggest star from being booked for June 14.
Beyond those names, UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira would likely be the next top option. The Brazilian has already been drafted in to rescue a major event, UFC 300, and talk of a move up to heavyweight would add a historic title attempt to the White House lineup.
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