Dana White shared the backstage story of how a fight was added to the upcoming White House event card in under an hour during UFC 327. White asked a fighter if he wanted to compete at the event, and the fighter agreed, saying to thank the president. White then instructed matchmaker Mick Maynard to find an opponent for Derrick Lewis, initially planning to finalize details the following week. However, during the UFC 327 broadcast, Joe Rogan asked on air if there was still room on the White House card. This prompted White to urgently send Maynard to speak with Josh Emmett, who was being loaded into an ambulance at the time. Despite the circumstances, the fighter gave his consent to compete. White expressed that this kind of spontaneous matchmaking is what makes the sport special.
UFC President Dana White pulled back the curtain on an unusually chaotic piece of matchmaking during UFC 327, revealing how a fight for the upcoming White House event was arranged in less than an hour under circumstances that would have seemed impossible in almost any other sport.
White explained that he had already approached one fighter about competing at the White House card and received an enthusiastic response, with the fighter asking him to pass along thanks to the president. White then tasked matchmaker Mick Maynard with finding an opponent for Derrick Lewis, with the intention of sorting out the finer details the following week. That relatively orderly plan was quickly overtaken by events.
During the live UFC 327 broadcast, commentator Joe Rogan asked on air whether there was still space available on the White House card. The question sent White scrambling. He directed Maynard to track down Josh Emmett, who at that precise moment was being loaded into an ambulance. Maynard reached him anyway, and Emmett gave his consent to compete. The booking was done.
Lewis, 41, enters the matchup as the number eight ranked heavyweight in the UFC with a professional record of 29-14-0. The Houston-born knockout artist stands six-foot-three with a 79-inch reach and has built his reputation on pure punching power, landing 2.46 significant strikes per minute over his career.
Why it matters
- Lewis at heavyweight rank eight means a strong showing at a high-profile event could push him back toward title contention.
- The White House setting gives the card an unusual political and cultural dimension, raising its visibility well beyond a standard Fight Night.
- White framed the scramble as a feature of the sport rather than a flaw, suggesting this kind of spontaneous deal-making is central to what separates MMA from more structured athletic competitions.
