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UFC White House: Predicting every fight Dana White will announce in 24 Hours
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- UFC White House: Predicting every fight Dana White will announce in 24 Hours
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Dana White has revealed that the lineup for the six-fight UFC White House event will be announced on Saturday.
There's plenty of speculation, but so far, no one is sure who will be fighting at the June 14 card. Check out our predictions for what could be the biggest UFC announcement of 2026 below.
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Who will top the bill for UFC's White House event?
Photo by Chris Unger/TKO Worldwide LLC via Getty Images
The only matchup we feel confident about is Jon Jones vs Alex Pereira. Pereira wouldn't have vacated his light heavyweight title unless something major was lined up for him at heavyweight.
Ariel Helwani has mentioned that discussions between the two fighters have been ongoing. And just a day later, Jones announced he was in talks to fight on the card, although he didn't name his opponent.
Charles Oliveira added fuel to the speculation by hinting that Pereira would be facing someone other than Gane. When asked about a possible interim heavyweight bout with Ciryl Gane, he said 'something bigger' was planned for his fellow Brazilian.
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All signs are pointing towards Jones vs Pereira as the main event when President Donald Trump hosts UFC at the White House this summer.
Ilia Topuria vs Justin Gaethje expected to co-headline UFC White House
Another strong possibility for the White House card is Ilia Topuria vs Justin Gaethje. The two lightweight champions are expected to unify the division later this summer.
There has been some chatter about Topuria moving up to welterweight to face Islam Makhachev, but that doesn't seem likely to happen just yet.
Dana White prefers new champions defend their titles in their own divisions first, and that's what Topuria is set to do against interim champ Gaethje in a few months' time.
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Kayla Harrison vs Amanda Nunes rebooked
There's a bit less certainty around this one, but it wouldn't be a shock to see it included in the White House lineup.
Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes were originally set to fight for the bantamweight title back at UFC 324 in January. But a neck injury that required surgery sidelined Harrison, leaving Nunes without an opponent.
The early timeline had the 135lb champion out until late 2026. But there's hope that Harrison has recovered faster than expected and that this highly anticipated matchup is back on the schedule.
Dern likely to defend against Zhang Weili
Given that Mackenzie Dern is an American champion, it wouldn't be a surprise to see her on the UFC White House card.
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The strawweight titleholder, who also has Brazilian roots, hasn't fought since she won the 115-pound title by decision over Virna Jandiroba at UFC 321 in October.
A June comeback makes sense. The key now is finding a challenger fit for what could be the biggest UFC event ever.
Zhang Weili is expected to return to the division where she previously held the belt in 2026.
'Magnum' will be looking to bounce back after a one-sided loss to flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 322 last November.
If booked, it would be one of the most anticipated matchups in strawweight history – and exactly the kind of fight that belongs on this card.
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Colby Covington vs Michael Chandler to round out the card
Colby Covington and Michael Chandler are two of the most vocal Americans in the UFC, making this matchup feel like an obvious fit for a White House event.
Covington has already stated publicly that discussions are underway for him to compete on the card.
Meanwhile, Chandler appears to be due a high-profile bout after missing out on a fight with Conor McGregor.
Bo Nickal expected to open the event
Donald Trump has made it clear in the past that he's a fan of Bo Nickal. So it makes sense that the rising middleweight would be booked to make his return at this event.
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The UFC could book him against anyone, but they're likely to test him. This is a big card, and there'll be a lot of eyes on him, so it makes sense to see what he can handle in front of a huge audience.
Jared Cannonier looks like an ideal fit for that role. He's ranked in the top 10 and holds a strong record at 185 pounds. Plus, with both fighters being American, even if Nickal loses, it won't dampen the mood early on.
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