“Always seems to have the dumbest MMA takes” - Fans ridicule Donald Trump's ‘8 or 9’ title fight claims for UFC’s White House event 

U.S. President Donald Trump recently spoke about the big UFC White House card next year at the 48th Kennedy Center Honors event. The event is part of the America 250 celebrations and will be held on June 14, which also coincides with the president’s birthday.

While nothing has been confirmed about the event, with Dana White planning fights from February of 2026, Trump spoke out, claiming that this would be the biggest event ever.

“The great Dana White’s building an arena. They're gonna have eight or nine championship fights, the biggest fights they've ever had. Every one’s a championship fight and every one’s a legendary type of fight.”

Trump then claimed that White was not booking big fights to ensure they were present at the White House card:

“He’s actually holding back fights right now for 6 months so he can do it for 250 [White House event], I think 250 is going to be amazing. It’s going to be five or six thousand seats right in the front of the White House and 100,000 people in the back where they are putting up eight or ten very big screens. That’s going to be an exciting night.”

Check out Donald Trump's comments below:

Having eight or nine title fights on the same card will be difficult to pull off, given that UFC normally does one or two title fights on a big card.

With the new Paramount deal also coming up, it would not make a lot of sense to hold back title fights from the big cards starting in 2026.

Additionally, this would complicate matters in the second half of the year. If nine titles are defended on the card, then a lot of the fighters will not be available for cards later in the year.

This remark from Trump caught the attention of several UFC fans. Most of them questioned the possibility of this taking place, with some even claiming that the president wasn’t a real fan of the sport and didn’t have actual knowledge of the same.

"I think he pretends to understand the sport because there is absolutely ZERO chance there is any more than 3 title fights, he always seems to have the dumbest mma takes," one fan wrote.

Here are some of the reactions from social media to Trump’s announcement:

The Discord Traveler

@DiscordTraveler

@ChampRDS Trump is a casual bro what is he on about😭

shanedogg5280

@shanedogg5280

@ChampRDS This means there will be fewer title defenses or title fights in 2026 most likely.

RB

@Darkphantom2619

@ChampRDS BMF White House style belts for every weight class probably

ippo makunouchi

@erwinSMITHHG

@ChampRDS « Purposely holding back fights » ok so 100% the ilia drama was all fake and they are trying to build the paddy and ilia fight for the White House

Delinquent MMA

@DelinquentMMA

@ChampRDS There’s absolutely no way

Daggy899

@AglioDavid

@ChampRDS Ok Grandpa. Time for bed now.

univrslmma

@univrslmma

@DovySimuMMA I think he pretends to understand the sport because there is absolutely ZERO chance there is any more than 3 title fights, he always seems to have the dumbest mma takes

MMA_Instigator

@MMA__Instigator

@DovySimuMMA Buddy there is only like 12 divisions and that's counting women as well. 8 or 9 is unrealistic

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