UFC president addresses crowd numbers for White House fight event and ‘sniper’ factor

Dana White has suggested that fewer than 5,000 people will be on the South Lawn for the UFC event at the White House, if it goes ahead in 2026.

This summer, US president Donald Trump – a fan of the UFC and friend of its president, White – said he wanted to host a fight event next year, to celebrate 250 years of the United States.

Since then, White has worked to make it a reality, and he has claimed it will go ahead. Still, he has addressed numerous challenges including the weight of the Octagon, and now crowd numbers and security.

“So, we went to the White House last week, me and my team, and we had the first meeting with him [Trump],” White said on Wednesday (10 September).

“We laid out all the renderings, and we started to get him to sign off on what he likes and doesn’t like. And he loved it, so now we’re diving in headfirst. Now all the work starts.

“The last time I was at the White House, I went up on the roof of the White House, and they’ve got snipers with .50 cals all over the roof of the White House. It’s pretty crazy.

“But yes, I mean, the security is gonna be a massive issue, because at the end of the day, secret service’s job is to protect the president.

“I don’t know how it’s gonna work out as far as having people there live, on the lawn of the White House. It’ll be under 5,000, though.

“But... I can’t remember what they call it, but there’s a park connected to the White House,” White continued, seemingly referencing President’s Park. “We can put 85,000 people over there with screens. We’re gonna put a big stage out there and do concerts. We’re gonna take over Washington DC that whole week.”

White’s comments came on the same day that Charlie Kirk – a right-wing political activist and ally of Trump – was fatally shot at a Utah college campus.

UFC icon Conor McGregor, who is currently trying to run for president in his native Ireland, is among those to have expressed a desire to compete at the White House event.

Jon Jones has also done so, despite White announcing this summer that the American had retired. Jones’s heavyweight title was taken from him and awarded to interim champion Tom Aspinall, but Jones claimed this month that he is not retired.

In any case, White said Jones has a “billion to one” chance of being involved, with the UFC president stressing that he does not trust Jones, whose career has been marred by failed drug tests and run-ins with the law. McGregor has had his own legal issues, including last November, when a civil jury found him liable for rape. The Irishman, 37, denies all accusations against him.

Another former UFC champion, the long-retired Ronda Rousey, has ruled herself out of competing, saying this week: “I’m not fighting at the White House.

“After Mike Tyson being the biggest fight of the year [in 2024, against Jake Paul], you never say never, but I ain’t fighting at the f***ing White House. Even if offered? I got better s*** to do.”