Ilia Topuria is set to defend his lightweight championship against Justin Gaethje in the headline bout of the UFC’s upcoming event at the White House.
The co-main event will feature Alex Pereira stepping up to the heavyweight division to face Ciryl Gane for the interim title on June 14, while reigning champion Tom Aspinall recuperates from undergoing double eye surgery. Notably absent from the card will be Conor McGregor, who recently disclosed that he was not included in the lineup and is scheduled to make his return to the octagon on July 11.
Michael Chandler, previously rumored to face McGregor on the White House grounds, will now square off against Mauricio Ruffy. Meanwhile, former bantamweight world champion Sean O’Malley is set to take on Aiemann Zahabi. The six-fight card will also showcase Bo Nickal versus Kyle Daukaus and Diego Lopes against Steve Garcia.
UFC CEO Dana White expressed enthusiasm for the event, highlighting the unique opportunities for fighters like Pereira and Topuria to make significant strides in their careers. White emphasized the anticipated showdown between Topuria and Gaethje, characterizing it as potentially explosive.
Despite facing challenges in assembling the card, White confirmed that the lineup is finalized and ready for action in Washington, D.C. There were last-minute changes that required the matchmaking team to work diligently to ensure a compelling fight card.
Regarding the future of heavyweight champion Aspinall, White remained non-committal, suggesting that a potential matchup between Pereira and Aspinall could be on the horizon depending on the outcome of Pereira’s fight with Gane.
The announcement also clarified that there will be no immediate return for Jon Jones, the former light-heavyweight and heavyweight champion, who was previously linked to a possible bout with Pereira following the Brazilian fighter’s decision to vacate his 205-pound title and move up in weight class.