Ilia Topuria is set to defend his lightweight championship against Justin Gaethje in the headline bout of the upcoming UFC event at the White House.
Meanwhile, in the co-main event scheduled for June 14, Alex Pereira will step up to the heavyweight division to face Ciryl Gane for the interim title while current champion Tom Aspinall is on the mend from a double eye surgery, ruling out Conor McGregor who disclosed his exclusion from the card with plans to return on July 11.
The fight card also features Michael Chandler taking on Mauricio Ruffy, as he was previously rumored to face McGregor on the front lawn of President Donald Trump. Additionally, former bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley will battle Aiemann Zahabi, with other matchups including Bo Nickal versus Kyle Daukaus and Diego Lopes against Steve Garcia.
UFC CEO Dana White expressed excitement about the event, highlighting the potential for Pereira and Topuria to shine as champions. He mentioned the challenges faced in organizing the card but assured that everything is set for an exciting night in Washington, D.C.
Regarding the future of heavyweight champion Tom 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 against Gane.
The announcement also confirmed that Jon Jones will not be making a comeback for a clash with Pereira after the latter’s decision to vacate his light-heavyweight title and move up a weight class.