Derrick Lewis fight added to UFC's White House card at Trump's urging

UFC CEO Dana White says the heavyweight bout was added at the request of President Donald Trump.

Apr. 12, 2026 at 6:11am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the forms of two UFC heavyweight fighters engaged in combat, their bodies broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of deep red, navy blue, and metallic silver.A cubist interpretation of the high-stakes heavyweight clash between Derrick Lewis and Josh Hokit, added to the UFC's commemorative White House event at the president's request.Rochester Today

The UFC has added a heavyweight fight between Derrick Lewis and Josh Hokit to the UFC Freedom 250 card set for this summer at the White House. UFC CEO Dana White says the fight was added at the request of President Donald Trump, who was in attendance at a recent UFC event and asked why Lewis was not on the card for the White House event commemorating the United States' 250th birthday.

Why it matters

The addition of the Lewis-Hokit fight to the UFC Freedom 250 card at the White House is notable as it shows the influence the sitting U.S. president can have on the UFC's event planning and fighter selection, even for a major commemorative event. It also highlights the close relationship between UFC leadership and the Trump administration.

The details

The heavyweight fight between Lewis (29-13 MMA), who holds the UFC knockout record with 16, and Hokit (9-0 MMA), who beat Curtis Blaydes at Saturday's UFC 327 event in Miami, becomes the seventh fight at the June 14 event. White said that about an hour after Hokit's win, Trump leaned over and asked him why Lewis was not on the card for the White House event, prompting White to call Lewis and add the fight.

  • The UFC Freedom 250 event is set for June 14, 2026 at the White House.
  • Hokit defeated Curtis Blaydes at UFC 327 on Saturday, April 11, 2026.

The players

Derrick Lewis

A UFC heavyweight fighter who holds the promotion's knockout record with 16 wins by KO.

Josh Hokit

An undefeated UFC heavyweight fighter who improved his record to 9-0 with a win over Curtis Blaydes at UFC 327.

Dana White

The CEO of the UFC who confirmed the addition of the Lewis-Hokit fight to the UFC Freedom 250 card at the request of President Donald Trump.

Donald Trump

The President of the United States who was in attendance at a recent UFC event and requested that Derrick Lewis be added to the UFC Freedom 250 card at the White House.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I'm sure you guys just saw the Hokit fight. About an hour ago, the president leans over to me and says, 'Why is Derrick Lewis not on the White House card?' and I said, 'Hold on, Mr. President.' I stepped away and called Derrick Lewis and said, 'Derrick, the president just asked why you're not on the card. Do you want to fight on the White House card?' He said, 'Of course.'”

— Dana White, UFC CEO

What’s next

The Lewis-Hokit heavyweight fight is now officially part of the UFC Freedom 250 card set for June 14, 2026 at the White House.

The takeaway

The addition of the Derrick Lewis vs. Josh Hokit fight to the UFC Freedom 250 card at the White House demonstrates the significant influence the sitting U.S. president can wield over the UFC's event planning and fighter selection, even for a major commemorative event. It also highlights the close relationship between UFC leadership and the Trump administration.