Alex Pereira will earn a guaranteed $10 million purse for his light heavyweight title defense against Ciryl Gane at the White House event, making it the largest guaranteed payout in UFC history. Tai Tuivasa's replacement and outspoken Gaethje backer Ilja Topuria skeptic Riddell Hookit has signed an eight-fight contract with the UFC, dispelling rumors Pereira had floated about the fighter's future with the organization. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio predicted the event could draw up to one billion viewers, while UFC president Dana White expects numbers comparable to the Super Bowl at around 126 million. A legal challenge from Vietnam War veterans and U.S. civic groups seeking to block the event on the White House lawn was dismissed by the courts.
Alex Pereira will pocket a guaranteed $10 million when he puts his light heavyweight title on the line against Ciryl Gane at the UFC White House event on June 14, 2026 — a figure that represents the largest guaranteed purse in UFC history.
Pereira, 38, carries a 13-4 record into the contest and has established himself as one of the most dominant champions in the promotion. The Brazilian, who trains out of Teixeira MMA and Fitness, stands six-foot-four with a 79-inch reach and lands 5.16 significant strikes per minute at a 62 percent accuracy rate. He holds the light heavyweight title and will be defending it on one of the most unconventional stages the sport has ever seen.
Gane enters as the number-two ranked heavyweight, though the White House matchup sees him crossing divisional lines to challenge for the 205-pound crown. The Frenchman, nicknamed "Bon Gamin," is 36 years old and trains out of MMA Factory. At six-foot-four with an 81-inch reach, he is one of the most technically proficient strikers in MMA, landing 5.29 significant strikes per minute at an impressive 61 percent accuracy rate.
Elsewhere in the news surrounding the event, Riddell Hookit — who stepped in as a late replacement after Tai Tuivasa withdrew — has signed an eight-fight contract with the UFC, putting to rest speculation about his organizational standing that Pereira himself had stoked publicly.
The event has attracted significant political attention. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested the card could draw as many as one billion viewers globally, while UFC president Dana White projected an audience comparable to the Super Bowl, around 126 million. A legal challenge mounted by Vietnam War veterans and U.S. civic groups seeking to prevent the event from taking place on the White House lawn was dismissed by the courts.
Why it matters
- Pereira's $10 million guarantee sets a new financial benchmark for UFC fighter pay
- Gane moving up to challenge for the light heavyweight title adds a rare cross-divisional element
- Hookit's eight-fight deal ends uncertainty about his UFC future following a high-profile replacement role
- Projected viewership figures, if realized, would mark a historic moment for the sport's mainstream reach
Sunday, June 14, 2026
