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.
Saturday, April 11, 2026
