If Democrats Were in Charge, the UFC White House Card Would Look Very Different, Says Former Champion
The UFC could soon make history with the most outrageous fight night ever proposed not in Las Vegas, Abu Dhabi, or Madison Square Garden but on the White House lawn.
After former President Donald Trump teased a 25,000-seat stadium behind the White House, fighters and fans alike started dreaming big.
But according to UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping, the lineup might look very different depending on who’s sitting in the Oval Office.
“If the Democrats were running the White House,” Bisping said, “you’d see a lot more female fighters and international matchups.”
Instead, with Trump at the helm, the card may carry a “USA vs the world” tone featuring stars like Jon Jones, Sean Strickland, and Sean O’Malley, who’s eager to bounce back after his recent loss.
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A mega-card tailored for Trump — “It’s going to be all-American fireworks”
Trump’s long-standing love for MMA is no secret. He famously helped the UFC survive its early struggles by offering up venues like the Trump Taj Mahal, and today, he’s often seen cage-side sometimes even during the prelims.
“When he walks in, the crowd erupts,” Bisping said, recalling Trump’s surprise entrance at Madison Square Garden in 2023.
Now, the idea is to turn the White House lawn into a fight stadium, and there’s only one main event bold enough to headline it.
Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall? “That’s the fight that brings Jones back”
Bisping believes the one fight that could drag Jon Jones out of retirement is a showdown with interim heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall especially on U.S. soil at the most patriotic venue possible.
“1776 all over again,” he joked. “Except this time, we’re gonna whoop your ass.”
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Aspinall is expected to face Ciryl Gane soon. If he scrapes by, Bisping says Jones may take the bait.
“McGregor already raised his hand” — A long-delayed co-main finally happens?
Another likely matchup: Conor McGregor vs Michael Chandler.
The two filmed The Ultimate Fighter, but never fought. Now, according to Bisping, McGregor is sending Instagram messages to Dana White, asking for the fight to happen on the White House card.
“He’s already been to the White House,” Bisping said. “He’d love to make history there.”
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O’Malley vs Sandhagen? Gaethje vs Anyone? Strickland’s guaranteed
Other fights floated include:
- Sean O’Malley vs Cory Sandhagen — “A Civil War–style all-American clash”
- Justin Gaethje vs anyone — just to open the main card with fireworks
- Sean Strickland vs Israel Adesanya 2 — a heated rematch Trump would likely back
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Strickland, fresh off a viral moment where he stormed into a cage and hit a fighter who turned out to be a police officer, is still expected to feature on the card — if he gets cleared.
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A card no one thought possible — unless it’s Trump and Dana running it
From Valentina Shevchenko vs Erin Blanchfield to Strickland vs Adesanya, Jones vs Aspinall, and McGregor vs Chandler, the hypothetical card would be wild, expensive, and historic.
But according to Bisping, there’s no better duo to pull it off than Trump and Dana White.
“They’ve got the land. They’ve got the fighters. They’ve got the money. And they’ve got the ego.”
