Dana White shared the dramatic story of how a fight was organized for the upcoming White House event literally within an hour during UFC 327. White asked a fighter if he wanted to compete at the White House event, receiving an enthusiastic "absolutely" response and a request 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, when Joe Rogan mentioned the White House card during the UFC 327 broadcast and asked if there was room for more fights, White immediately grabbed Maynard and sent him to speak with Josh Hockit. Hockit agreed to the bout even as he was being loaded into an ambulance after his fight, demonstrating the spontaneous nature of matchmaking that characterizes the sport.
Dana White revealed during UFC 327 on April 11 how a last-minute heavyweight bout for an upcoming White House event was put together in less than an hour, with matchmaker Mick Maynard scrambling to lock in an opponent for Derrick Lewis while the pay-per-view broadcast was still live.
White described approaching Lewis about competing at the White House event and getting an immediate and enthusiastic response, with Lewis reportedly asking White to pass along his thanks to the president. White then told Maynard to find an opponent, with the expectation that details would be sorted out the following week. That timeline collapsed when commentator Joe Rogan asked on air whether there was room for additional fights on the White House card. White grabbed Maynard on the spot and sent him to speak with Josh Hockit — who had just finished his own fight and was being loaded into an ambulance at the time. Hockit agreed to the matchup on the spot.
Lewis, 41, is currently ranked eighth in the UFC heavyweight division and carries a professional record of 29-14. The Houston native stands six-foot-three with a 79-inch reach and is one of the most durable and dangerous knockout artists in the history of the division. He lands 2.46 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy, relying almost exclusively on his striking game with virtually no submission attempts on his record.
Why it matters
- Lewis is a ranked heavyweight contender, making any booking for him relevant to the division's top-ten picture.
- The White House event appears to be shaping up as a multi-fight card, with at least this matchup now confirmed under unusual circumstances.
- The story illustrates how quickly UFC matchmaking can move, with a signed bout assembled while one fighter was receiving medical attention post-fight.
Saturday, April 11, 2026
