Dana White says fighters will walk from Oval Office into Octagon as UFC plans White House fight week

UFC President Dana White said on Friday that the promotion plans to stage a historic fight night on the White House South Lawn in June 2026 and that fighters will walk from the Oval Office into the Octagon.

White described the event during an appearance on the Nightcap podcast with Shannon Sharpe and Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson, and said he met with President Donald Trump at the White House in late August to firm up details. "The fight will happen on the South Lawn of the White House," White said. "Do you know what is probably the most bada** thing about that? The fighters will actually walk from the Oval Office into the Octagon." He added that under 5,000 people will be allowed on the South Lawn, while an estimated 85,000 spectators would watch on screens in an adjacent park.

White outlined broader plans for what he described as a weeklong UFC presence in the U.S. capital surrounding the main fight night. The promotion intends to stage concerts, weigh-ins and press conferences at prominent monuments, and run multiple days of fan-facing activities on the National Mall, including autograph sessions and interactive displays such as punching bag setups.

People familiar with the planning told the Wall Street Journal that Ivanka Trump participated by phone in a meeting with her father and White and will be involved in organizing elements of the event. White said current plans call for weigh-ins and pre-fight press conferences to be held at the Lincoln Memorial, which is undergoing renovations related to a new museum and visitor center. Officials cautioned that details remain subject to change.

The event is being positioned to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. White said the UFC intends to have a large presence in Washington through the week leading up to the main fight night, and that the promotion will "take over the whole city" with multiple venues and viewing areas.

White and Trump have maintained a long relationship dating back more than two decades, when Trump hosted UFC events at a now-closed Atlantic City casino in the early 2000s. White has been a vocal supporter of Trump during the businessman’s political career, speaking at Republican National Conventions and attending campaign events. Trump invited White to the onstage victory celebration after last year’s election, where White spoke from the podium.

The proposed White House fight night would be an unusual use of the South Lawn, a space traditionally used for official receptions and other presidential events. White said security and capacity plans were discussed during the August meeting, including the restricted attendance on the lawn and large off-site viewing area. He described the intention to create a festival-like week with fights, concerts and fan activities across multiple locations in the city.

The White House and the UFC did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The National Park Service, which oversees many of the monuments and the National Mall, has specific procedures and permitting requirements for events on federal land, and any final arrangements would require coordination with multiple agencies.

White said the promotion currently aims for the main event to take place in June 2026. He and others involved in planning have emphasized that the schedule and specifics are still being worked out and could change as logistics and permitting are finalized.