Dana White Announces Huge New Fight For UFC White House After Viral Brawl

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MARCH 28: UFC President and CEO Dana White speaks during a post fight press conference during UFC Fight Night: Adesanya v Pyfer at Climate Pledge Arena on March 28, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Mat Hayward/Getty Images)

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HIGHLIGHTS

• A fight was booked in real time after a question from the President and a suggestion from the broadcast booth.
• The hottest heavyweight in the sport just landed on the most unique card in UFC history.
• One fighter's persona is polarizing, but his placement on this card makes total sense.

Josh Hokit has struck gold. The American heavyweight who stole the show at UFC 327 winning a unanimous decision over Curtis Blaydes just got added to the UFC White House card. The way this came together is like something out of a movie.

Hokit outslugged Blaydes in what many called the greatest heavyweight fight of all time. President Donald Trump was on hand for the main card and he asked Dana White why Derrick Lewis wasn't on the card. White called Lewis and asked him if he wanted to fight on the White House card.

Lewis obliged. During the Hokit fight, UFC analyst Joe Rogan asked, "is it too late to add Josh Hokit to the UFC White House card?" Apparently it's not. White hooked up the intriguing battle and booked it for the highly anticipated card. Here's White breaking it all down.

How Did This Fight Come Together?

The timeline is crazy, but there's also some utility here. Many have said the White House card was weak. Adding the hottest heavyweight and an outspoken personality like Hokit raises the profile all the more. Here is the updated UFC Freedom 250 card.

UFC Freedom 250 / UFC White House (June 14, Paramount+/CBS)

• Lightweight Title: Ilia Topuria (c) vs. Justin Gaethje (ic)
• Interim Heavyweight Title: Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane
• Bantamweight: Sean O'Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi
• Lightweight: Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler
• Middleweight: Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus
• Featherweight: Diego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia
• Heavyweight: Josh Hokit vs. Derrick Lewis (NEW)

Who Is Josh Hokit?

Hokit is a former NFL player and an Olympic-level wrestler. He's chosen a persona that is hokey, cringe and borderline offensive or downright offensive. That's a sweet spot for MMA fans, unfortunately. Who am I kidding? It's the sweet spot for Earth. In any case, he's a star, like it or not, and his placement on this card makes sense.

The Blaydes fight put him on the map with casual fans and hardcore viewers alike. His trajectory from unknown to White House card in one performance is the kind of story the UFC thrives on.

Why Is Derrick Lewis the Opponent?

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JANUARY 24: (R-L) Derrick Lewis battles Waldo Cortes Acosta of the Dominican Republic in a heavyweight bout during the UFC 324 event at T-Mobile Arena on January 24, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

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Lewis is one of Trump's favorite fighters. He's also one of the most popular heavyweights in the sport. He's also American and the card was missing domestic star power. Lewis saying yes on the spot is the most Derrick Lewis thing possible.

Lewis (30-12, 22 KOs) holds the UFC record for most heavyweight knockouts. Pairing him with Hokit guarantees fireworks. The UFC White House card announcement piece originally had six fights. Now it has seven.

What Does This Mean for the UFC White House Card?

This fight doesn't save the card, but it helps a lot. Two title fights (Topuria-Gaethje, Pereira-Gane) anchor the top, but the middle of the card needed a jolt. Hokit-Lewis provides that.

The card airs June 14 on Paramount+ and CBS from the South Lawn of the White House. Trump’s 80th birthday. The UFC 326 results piece covered the original announcement.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com