Predicting Three Bold Fights That Would Be Perfect for the UFC’s White House Card
With the UFC White House event confirmed for June this year, we are wondering which fights could happen for the inaugural event. The card is rumored to have six or seven fights. If the UFC is planning to come back to the White House, the UFC has to book a fight card that leaves a positive impression on everyone in attendance. They need to book highly anticipated fights and bring in the top fighters in the company. Here are three realistic fights that the UFC could book to leave the best impression possible with the injuries and setbacks they’re currently dealing with.
Justin Gaethje - Interim Champion vs. Ilia Topuria - Champion for the Lightweight Championship
After 37-year-old Justin Gaethje beat Paddy Pimblett at the main event of UFC 324 to become a two-time UFC Interim Lightweight Champion, Gaethje is getting another crack at lightweight gold as he has an opportunity to take the gold from Ilia Topuria. Although Topuria has ongoing personal issues outside the octagon, he plans to return sometime between April and June, which fits perfectly in line with the White House card. If Topuria says he’s going to do something, there’s a high chance he gets it done. Gaethje’s victory at UFC 324 this past January gives him ample time to rest and prepare for the training camp of a lifetime. This could be Gaethje’s last opportunity to become an undisputed UFC champ, and a win over Topuria would undeniably reserve Gaethje a spot in the UFC Hall of Fame. Don’t expect this fight to go to the judge’s scorecards. Both men are prolific finishers. This has Fight of the Night written all over it, and depending on the finish and ferocity of the fight, this has the potential to be Fight of the Year for 2026 and Fight of the Decade for the 2020s.
Colby Covington vs. Gilbert Burns
Let’s look at what’s happened in the Welterweight Division in 2026 so far. There have been a whopping three fights in the Welterweight Division over two numbered events in January and one Fight Night so far in early February. All of those fights were in the prelims. The next top-15 welterweight is scheduled to fight next month for UFC’s Fight Night in London with England’s own Michael Page. This fight isn’t even a co-main event. Shavkat Rakhmonov’s injury was announced by his trainer last week, with his trainer saying he would fight later in 2026 or early in 2027. The UFC responded by stripping him of his welterweight ranking for his extended absence dating back to December 2024. It seems as if UFC’s Welterweight Division is waiting for its top five to make noise. Islam Makhachev has put the division on hold for a worthy contender. With Rakhmonov out of the picture, the division waits for Ian Machado Garry, former Welterweight Champion Jack Della Madalena, and Michael Morales to make their moves.
You know who else last fought in December 2024? Colby Covington. Not only has the former Interim Welterweight Champion maintained his top-15 rank in the division, but he recently went up in rank after Rakhmonov’s removal. The bottom ten need some type of clash to light a fire under themselves and chip away at the top five in the division. The best way to start that momentum is to have two grizzled and accomplished veterans scrap for possibly their last time. Covington has strongly advocated for being added to the White House card due to his strong relationship with the current White House administration. He asked to fight Pimblett at welterweight for the card, even though Pimblett has been fighting at lightweight since his UFC debut. Pimblett’s recent loss to Gaethje and desire to fight Topuria make a Covington/Pimblett matchup unlikely. Bo Nickal has also publicly asked for a bout with Covington. While interesting on paper, Covington has mentioned how he doesn’t want to face off against a fighter born in the U.S. There is one current top-15 welterweight that Covington could fight that makes sense for both him and his opponent while meeting his requirements.
Enter former title contender Gilbert Burns from Brazil. Burns is known for accepting any fight presented to him. He has fought every year since his UFC debut in 2014, with his last bout a losing effort against Morales in 2025. He has fought the best of the best since his tenure. He fought prime Kamaru Usman during Usman’s dominant welterweight reign. He was the first in the UFC to take Khamzat Chimaev to the judge’s scorecards. He has fought former World Champions and title contenders from different UFC eras. This fight makes some sense for both fighters. Covington, seemingly out of the title picture after losses to former Welterweight Champion Leon Edwards and top-15 UFC welterweight Joaquin Buckley, wants one final moment of glory before riding off into the sunset in front of people he admires. Burns has publicly stated that he wants one last run at the title before retiring. This fight could be his last fight if he loses, but a win could start his last campaign towards the Welterweight Championship.
Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev III for the Light Heavyweight Championship
Alex Pereira vs. Jon Jones sounds more exciting and is one of fight fans’ modern-day dream superfights. It seems unlikely Jones will come out of retirement again. It doesn’t make sense for Pereira to relinquish the Light Heavyweight Championship to fight Jones at Heavyweight unless it was solely for money. An Interim Light Heavyweight Championship wouldn’t make sense with Pereira as champ. He has beaten the top contenders in his division since his debut. He doesn’t have much else to prove at light heavyweight. Simultaneously, it wouldn’t make sense for Jones to cut down to 205 pounds in order to fight Pereira for the Light Heavyweight Championship at his age and stage of his career. The next best thing would be Pereira vs. Tom Aspinall. That also seems unlikely, as Aspinall has unfinished business with Ciryl Gane for the Heavyweight Championship. Gane would also be an interesting opponent for Pereira should Pereira move up to heavyweight.
The one thing ‘Poatan’ needs to prove at light heavyweight is that he can beat a healthy Magomed Ankalaev. This duo can’t seem to stay healthy, whether Pereira’s injuries and ailments in the first fight or Ankalaev’s injuries in the second bout. We have seen two lackluster bouts, and fans are worried about a trilogy. It’s the only logical Light Heavyweight fight to book Pereira in, however. Both wins in this rivalry have raised more questions than answers. There isn’t a definitive answer on which fighter is better due to the injuries. This is important because ‘Poatan’ is the UFC’s biggest star and most marketable fighter today. He has been a UFC superstar since knocking out Israel Adesanya in 2022, and his following continues to skyrocket as new fight fans are drawn to his highlight reel of walkout routines, knockouts, and post-fight celebrations. A victory over Ankalaev gives Pereira more reason to leave the Light Heavyweight Division behind. The move up to heavyweight would offer new fights previously unimaginable. His path of destruction towards another belt would elevate his status as one of the greatest UFC fighters of all time should he be successful.
