🎯 Key Takeaways
- Jon Jones may be done for good: A secret recording revealed the heavyweight GOAT needs hip surgery, casting serious doubt on any White House appearance — and possibly ending his career.
- UFC White House card takes shape: Dave Simon predicts Gaethje vs. Topuria, Petr Yan vs. O’Malley, and Joshua Van defending his title among six potential championship bouts on June 15th.
- America’s champion crisis is real: The hosts struggled to name a single male American UFC champion, with Kayla Harrison standing alone as the country’s only titleholder.
- Arman Tsarukyan is doing it right: The lightweight contender’s social media transformation from “nameless, faceless dude” to recognizable star has the crew convinced a title shot is imminent.
Jon Jones might need hip surgery. Arman Tsarukyan is hanging out with Jake Paul in Armenia. And the UFC White House card is entering the matchmaking phase with no American male champions to headline it. Thursday night’s Ringside Report MMA delivered exactly the kind of unfiltered analysis fans have come to expect from Dave Simon, AJ D’Alesio, and Fred Garcia — a deep dive into the biggest stories shaping the UFC’s most ambitious event in history, and the uncomfortable truths nobody else wants to talk about.
With Dana White reportedly finalizing matchups for the June 15th spectacle on the White House lawn, the crew spent the bulk of the episode building their dream card, debating the impossible math of stacking title fights without destroying every other event on the calendar, and confronting the elephant in the room: where are all the American contenders?
Table of Contents
Arman Tsarukyan’s Social Media Masterclass
The episode kicked off with a topic that had all three hosts nodding in agreement — Arman Tsarukyan’s transformation from elite fighter nobody talked about to must-follow MMA personality. The lightweight contender was spotted in Armenia with Jake Paul, part of a broader social media campaign that Dave Simon called a smart investment.
“Before this, before his Instagram run, he was a nameless, faceless dude who won fights every once in a while. But now you’re seeing his face all the time. He’s like a recognizable star in MMA,” Dave explained, crediting Tsarukyan for understanding that fighting skill alone doesn’t get you title shots in 2026.
Fred Garcia backed up the sentiment with a dose of reality about the modern UFC landscape: “That’s the way it is these days. If you want to get a title shot, you got to get your name out there. Because Arman Tsarukyan has earned a title shot just on resume, but it’s not always about resume.”
AJ pushed the argument further, insisting that while Tsarukyan’s stock is rising among fight fans, the real challenge is crossover appeal. The comparison to Conor McGregor’s meteoric rise wasn’t subtle — AJ referenced the dolly-through-the-bus-window incident as the kind of moment that turns fighters into household names. Whether Tsarukyan needs to go full chaos mode or find his own lane, the consensus was clear: the talent was never the question. The marketing was. And he’s finally figuring it out.
The big question is who gets the fight first at 155 pounds. Dave is locked in on Tsarukyan vs. Ilia Topuria as the best possible lightweight title fight. Still, AJ dropped a curveball — Islam Makhachev is apparently calling for Topuria to move up to welterweight for the UFC White House card. Fred dismissed the idea that Islam would drop to 155, setting the stage for the evening’s main debate.
Jon Jones Hip Injury: The End of an Era?
The biggest news of the week landed with a thud. Jon Jones — the greatest American champion in UFC history and the most logical headliner for a White House event — was secretly recorded by someone wearing Meta smart glasses, admitting he needs hip surgery. Jones later said he didn’t know he was being filmed and that the footage was released without his consent.
Dave didn’t sugarcoat the implications: “John Jones for the White House probably not going to happen, and with hip surgery, like who knows how bad that is. That could be the end of John Jones. We may never see him again.”
Fred Garcia has essentially already moved on. His take was blunt and unsentimental: “I’m a little past Jon Jones. The way that he hasn’t really fought in recent years… to me, Jon Jones is already retired and has been retired for a while.” Fred pointed out that Jones has been a part-timer since defeating Ciryl Gane and Stipe Miocic, and this injury just makes official what the fight calendar already reflected.
AJ, ever the contrarian, floated the conspiracy theory that Jones might be playing a leverage game. His reasoning? Jones used an influencer to push the injury narrative, which is either a genuine plea for sympathy or a calculated move to drive up his price tag for one last payday. “Maybe he’s bullshitting, waiting for that big paycheck… Here comes Jon Jones bullshitting about a hip thing, and he’s there,” AJ speculated. It’s a long shot, but nobody who’s watched Jones operate over the years would completely rule it out.
“It’s sad when a great athlete has to retire because of an injury. It’s not how you want to see a great athlete go out.”— Dave Simon, Ringside Report MMA
UFC White House Card: Six Title Fights and a Prayer for American Winners
With Jones likely out, the crew turned their attention to building the UFC White House card from scratch — and immediately ran into the UFC’s biggest problem: a stunning lack of American champions. Dave challenged the panel to name a single male American UFC titleholder, and the silence was deafening. Fred confirmed it: “There’s not a lot of American contenders right now. If you look at the champions, there’s no American champion on the male side and on the female side either… except for Kayla Harrison.”
Dave expanded the search to all of North America — the United States, Canada, and Mexico — and still came up short. It’s a striking reality for an event being held at the home of the American president. The UFC is loaded with international talent dominating nearly every division, and the matchmakers are going to have to get creative if they want the home crowd cheering for winners.
Dave Simon’s Predicted UFC White House Card
Dave laid out his predictions for the June 15th event, keeping the title fight count at six — the maximum he believes the card can handle without turning into a 10-hour marathon. His projected championship bouts:
| Division | Matchup | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lightweight | Justin Gaethje vs. Ilia Topuria | Dave’s most “locked in” prediction for the card |
| Bantamweight | Petr Yan vs. Sean O’Malley | Despite Merab Dvalishvili deserving the shot |
| Flyweight | Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja or Tatsuro Taira | American-born champion defends |
| Welterweight | Islam Makhachev vs. TBD | Carlos Prates, Ian Machado Garry, or Michael Morales |
| Light Heavyweight | Alex Pereira vs. Carlos Ulberg | Pereira expected to defend |
| Women’s | Kayla Harrison title defense | Only American champion on the roster |
The wildcard? Dave wouldn’t be surprised if Conor McGregor lands on the card alongside three or four title fights, recreating the UFC 300 formula that produced one of the greatest fight cards in history. That event featured Alex Pereira vs. Jamal Hill, Zhang Weili defending against Yan Xiaonan, and the legendary Max Holloway vs. Justin Gaethje BMF title bout — plus Tsarukyan vs. Charles Oliveira and a stacked prelim card.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if they threw Conor McGregor on this and like three or four title fights. I think that’s the way to go,” Dave said, sketching out an ideal scenario: four title fights, a McGregor bout, and a Nate Diaz vs. Max Holloway BMF title fight that guarantees an American winner regardless of the outcome.
The American Representation Crisis on the UFC White House Card
Fred raised perhaps the most awkward question of the night: if this is the president’s fight card, don’t you want Americans winning? And the answer kept coming back the same way — there aren’t many who can.
The hosts ran through potential American fighters for the card and kept hitting dead ends. Fred pointed out that putting Gaethje against Topuria means a foreigner is likely to win; Khamzat Chimaev would likely destroy any American challenger at middleweight; and Islam Makhachev is favored over every welterweight contender. The math isn’t great for the red, white, and blue.
Dave’s solution was clever: “Nate Diaz, Max Holloway — you put it on, it’s guaranteed a fun fight. It’s guaranteed big names, and it’s guaranteed an American wins because Nate’s from California and Max is from Hawaii.” An American vs. American showcase eliminates the risk entirely while delivering a fight that sells itself on star power alone.
AJ also floated the idea of stacking the card with vocal Trump supporters — Sean Strickland, Colby Covington, Kamaru Usman, Jorge Masvidal — fighters the president personally likes and who would add political theater to the spectacle. Dave acknowledged the strategy, but Fred couldn’t resist the punchline: most of those guys would probably lose their fights. The image of Usman, a proud Trump supporter, getting beaten by a Russian named Islam at the White House had the whole crew laughing at the optics.
Sean Strickland vs. Anthony Hernandez: UFC Houston Gateway to the White House
The conversation pivoted to next week’s UFC Houston main event, where Sean Strickland takes on Anthony Hernandez in a middleweight bout that could have major implications for the June 15th White House event. AJ was emphatic: “This is the type of guy you should have on the White House card. A guy like Sean Strickland, you get him on that card, it would be pandemonium.”
Hernandez enters with a strong 15-2 record, but Strickland’s 29-7 resume and outsized personality make him the natural pick for a White House appearance. Dave mapped out the path: if Strickland wins in February, a June turnaround for a title shot against Khamzat Chimaev is entirely realistic. It would give the UFC its American underdog story — even if the smart money says Chimaev wins, AJ argued that a fired-up Strickland is dangerous enough to pull off the upset.
“Let’s not count out Sean Strickland because if he’s on the ball and all engines are firing, that guy is super dangerous,” AJ insisted. “Stand or ground, that guy could pull it off.”
Dave also noted Nassourdine Imavov as a potential middleweight contender lurking in the background, but Strickland’s name recognition and American patriot brand make him the obvious choice for the UFC’s matchmakers if they’re building toward the White House.
Reality Check: The UFC White House Card Might Not Need Nine Title Fights
The Reality: Everyone from Donald Trump to Dana White has thrown around numbers like nine or even eleven title fights for the White House card. That’s pure fantasy. Dave Simon made the most sensible argument of the night — six title fights is the absolute maximum before the event becomes unwatchable. If every championship bout goes five rounds, you’re looking at a nine or ten-hour broadcast. Fred went even further, arguing for just three title fights supplemented by marquee matchups like McGregor vs. Covington and Holloway vs. Diaz. The UFC 300 blueprint already proved you don’t need to burn every title defense in one night to create an all-time card. Stack three belts on the line, add two or three fights that sell themselves on star power, and let the prelims carry the depth. Anything more than that, and the UFC risks turning its biggest spectacle into an endurance test that even the most dedicated fans will tap out of.
Shavkat Rakhmonov Injury: Another Welterweight Contender Down
In a quieter but significant piece of news, the hosts addressed Shavkat Rakhmonov’s knee injury, which has sidelined the welterweight contender for what could be most of 2026. Photos surfaced of Rakhmonov on crutches with his knee heavily braced, effectively removing him from the title picture at the worst possible time.
Dave called it devastating for a fighter who was already dealing with inactivity: “He’s been inactive now for a long time. It’s a big setback because he hasn’t fought in a while already. So another injury is just devastating.”
Fred was pragmatic about the implications, suggesting Rakhmonov would need a tune-up fight before any title shot, which pushes his timeline even further back. With Rakhmonov out, Islam Makhachev’s welterweight challengers thin out to Carlos Prates, Ian Machado Garry, and Michael Morales — solid fighters, but none with the aura that Rakhmonov’s undefeated streak carried.
How Many Title Fights Is Too Many?
The structural debate over the White House mega-event produced the sharpest disagreement of the night. Fred was the most vocal critic of the mega-card approach, arguing that loading one event with five or six title fights strips every surrounding event of star power. “Why do that? Then all the other events around there are going to feel empty,” he said.
Dave countered with a philosophical shift he sees coming in the UFC’s business model. Numbered events don’t carry the prestige they once did — they feel interchangeable with Fight Nights to most casual fans. His theory: the UFC is moving toward one annual super-event modeled after UFC 300, where everything gets stacked into a single must-watch card.
“Dana White was interviewed. I saw a clip. He said this is going to be the most-watched UFC fight ever,” Dave reported. If that’s the goal, half-measures won’t cut it. The UFC White House card needs to justify the hype with a lineup that makes every other 2026 event feel like a warmup act.
Live Chat Highlights
The YouTube live chat was firing on all cylinders Thursday night. Doug Hepburn dropped a Super Chat suggesting Dave vs. AJ and Fred vs. Johnny North on the White House card — a proposition that had AJ surprisingly open to the idea (“I would take a shot, dude, if it brings up our ratings”) while Dave demanded a substantial paycheck. Antoinette gifted a membership to the Ringside Report Network, and Johnny North argued in the chat that a nine or ten-hour watch-along for a mega UFC White House card would actually be “awesome.” The crew respectfully disagreed with Johnny’s stamina assessment.
The Bottom Line
The UFC’s White House card is the most ambitious event in combat sports history, and the matchmaking phase is just beginning. But the uncomfortable reality is that the promotion’s biggest night is being built without its biggest American stars. Jon Jones is hurt, Conor McGregor remains unreliable, and the champion gap between American fighters and international talent has never been wider. Dave Simon’s UFC 300 blueprint — three title fights, two mega-matchups, and a stacked prelim — remains the smartest path forward. Anything more risks spectacle fatigue. Anything less won’t justify the setting.
One thing is certain: when Dana White enters matchmaking mode, the announcements are going to come fast. The UFC White House card is happening. The only question is whether the UFC can build a card worthy of the address.
Ringside Report MMA airs every Thursday at 8 PM ET. Catch the full episode on YouTube, Rumble, and all major podcast platforms. Support the network at membership.ringsidereport.net.
When is the UFC White House card?
The UFC White House card is expected to take place on June 15, 2026, on the White House lawn in Washington, D.C. Dana White has reportedly entered the matchmaking phase for the event.
Is Jon Jones fighting on the UFC White House card?
Jon Jones revealed he may need hip surgery after being secretly recorded by someone wearing Meta smart glasses. While the Ringside Report crew considers it unlikely Jones will compete, AJ D’Alesio speculated that Jones could be using the injury narrative as leverage for a bigger payday.
How many title fights will be on the UFC White House card?
Numbers ranging from six to eleven title fights have been discussed. Dave Simon predicts six championship bouts as the realistic maximum, while Fred Garcia argues that three title fights supplemented by marquee non-title bouts would be the ideal structure.
Will Conor McGregor fight at the White House UFC event?
McGregor’s involvement remains speculative. The Ringside Report hosts believe the UFC may include McGregor on the card alongside title fights, potentially against Colby Covington or Nate Diaz, though nothing has been confirmed.
Are there any American UFC champions right now?
As of February 2026, Kayla Harrison is the only American UFC champion. The hosts noted the striking absence of American male champions across all weight divisions, creating a challenge for an event held at the White House.
Will Arman Tsarukyan get a UFC lightweight title shot?
The Ringside Report crew believes Tsarukyan has earned a title shot on his resume alone, and his recent social media push has elevated his profile significantly. Dave Simon considers Tsarukyan vs. Ilia Topuria the best possible fight at 155 pounds.
