Following yesterday's reveal of the UFC Freedom 250 fight card for the June 14, 2026, White House event, CEO Dana White denied rumors of a scrapped Islam Makhachev-Ilia Topuria main event and responded to backlash from excluded fighters Jon Jones and Conor McGregor, amid details of last-minute changes during a Power Slap event.
The UFC Freedom 250 card, announced during the UFC 326 broadcast on March 8 and detailed in prior coverage, features lightweight title unification between champion Ilia Topuria and interim champion Justin Gaethje in the main event, Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title in the co-main, plus Sean O’Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi, Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler, Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus, and Diego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia.
White explained late changes stemmed from an unspecified fight collapsing during the Power Slap event on March 7, forcing overnight matchmaking. He firmly dismissed rumors of an original Makhachev-Topuria bout, stating, “It was never Islam versus Topuria,” and cited Makhachev's hand injury and Ramadan observance as reasons he is sidelined.
Retired heavyweight Jon Jones vented frustration in now-deleted social media posts after White declared Jones was “never ever” considered, citing arthritis, hip issues from his 2025 retirement, and past unreliability. White said he texted Jones' lawyer, “Never gonna happen, ever.” Jones retorted, “So all of this negotiating was complete bullshit.”
Conor McGregor, rumored for a Chandler matchup but absent, claimed talks occurred without a contract offer. White acknowledged discussions but said they are “not even close” to a deal.
Heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall commented on the Pereira-Gane booking, noting, “Who else is going to fight? The division’s on its ass,” and plans to challenge the winner post-eye surgery recovery.
The event on the White House South Lawn, part of America250 celebrations with historic Trump ties, expects massive crowds and underscores UFC's high-profile ambitions despite the controversy.
