Donald Trump secures Derrick Lewis a spot on UFC’s historical White House card
Donald Trump personally intervened to secure Derrick Lewis a spot on the UFC’s historic White House event, which falls on the US President’s 80th birthday, reports BritPanorama.
UFC chief Dana White disclosed that Trump, watching from ringside at UFC 327 in Miami, inquired about Lewis’s absence from the June 14 card. “I called Derrick Lewis and said, ‘Derrick, the President just asked me why you’re not on the card. Do you wanna fight on the White House card?’ And [Lewis] goes, ‘Of course I do. Tell the President, thank you, I want to do it,’” White recounted.
He added that Lewis’s opponent was determined shortly after when Josh Hokit delivered an impressive performance against fifth-ranked Curtis Blaydes during the UFC 327 main card.
The heavyweight clash became an instant classic, with both fighters visibly hurt throughout 15 minutes of intense action. Commentators hailed it as one of the best contests in the division’s history, and former heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier expressed his disbelief at the bout’s high quality.
Hokit, whose WWE-inspired persona had drawn mixed reactions, ultimately won by points before giving a rhyming speech to interviewer Joe Rogan. When Rogan inquired about available space on the White House card, White approached Hokit about facing Lewis, and within 10 minutes, the terms were agreed upon, positioning the bout as the seventh contest on UFC Freedom 250.
“President Trump built one half of that fight, and Rogan built the other half,” White explained, noting the organic nature of the matchup’s formation during the broadcast. He jointly announced the matchup with the President while the Miami event was still in progress.
White further commented, “Pretty badass how that played out organically during the fight [card].” The headline bout will see Ilia Topuria defend his lightweight title against interim champion Justin Gaethje in a unification clash. Additionally, Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane will contest for the interim heavyweight championship, following Pereira’s decision to vacate his light-heavyweight belt.
The event will also feature Sean O’Malley, Michael Chandler, and Diego Lopes. As an added incentive, bonuses for the event were announced to be a remarkable $1 million, generating considerable excitement among fans on social media.
This forthcoming card not only reflects the UFC’s growth but also underscores how intertwined sport and politics can be, with a nod to the peculiarities of show business that often define the fight scene.
