Dana White made headlines when he announced he would be taking the UFC to the front lawn of the White House in June of 2026.
While most scoffed at this 'gimmick', White's ability to negotiate and recruit high-end talent for this event has the MMA world buzzing.
According to the UFC Odds, Conor McGregor is the first confirmed participant, as he broke the news today on Fox News.
Conor McGregor says he's signed a deal to fight at the UFC White House event 🚨
— Covers (@Covers) October 2, 2025
"There will be a period of isolation where the phone will not be answered. It's a 6-month operation. The phone will be switched off, and the work will be executed."
h/t @FoxNews pic.twitter.com/rZotFQXwjV
Who will McGregor fight next?
It's been almost five years since we last saw Conor McGregor in the octagon, but his announced return has the UFC world buzzing with anticipation.
While he's got roughly eight months to prep, the big question on everyone's mind is: who will he fight next?
According to Kalshi's prediction market, Michael Chandler has the best chance to face McGregor, and add another loss to his 22-6-0 all-time UFC record.
| Fighter | Kalshi percentages |
|---|---|
| Michael Chandler | 51% |
| Mike Perry | 11% |
| Max Holloway | 6% |
| Jeremy Stephens | 6% |
| Nate Diaz | 4% |
Odds as of 10-2.
Like McGregor, Michael Chandler has also been out of the octagon for a while, with his last fight coming in November 2022. At 39 years old, he's two years older than the Irishman, but the extended UFC absence may make him the perfect opponent to get back in the octagon with.
McGregor has not faced off against Chandler, Mike Perry, or Jeremy Stephens in his career, but is 1-0 against Max Holloway (UD), and 1-1 against Nate Diaz.
Which fighters will be at the UFC White House event?
While McGregor is a go, the rest of the UFC White House event card is still up in the air.
There is plenty of speculation on who may or may not make the card, but according to Kalshi, there are a few household names that could very well take this card to the next level.
| Fighter | Kalshi percentages |
|---|---|
| Sean O'Malley | 45% |
| Jon Jones | 40% |
| Israel Adesanya | 39% |
| Alex Pereira | 29% |
Odds as of 10-2.
There is a significant amount of star power that could potentially be added to the UFC White House event. All four of the guys listed in the table have held a major belt at some point in their career, and turn this event from a gimmick to a must-see iteration of the UFC.
I would personally like to see Jon Jones one more time, but you cannot go wrong with any of these four names.
