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What’s the one thing every UFC fan wants to know? Well, it’s the lineup for UFC White House. More importantly, whether Conor McGregor and Jon Jones would make the cut. Well, the good news is, the 56-year-old and his team have managed to put together the card, but still, the UFC CEO doesn’t want to reveal the juicy details. He recently appeared in an interview with journalist Piers Morgan, where that became evident. 

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“So, I’m literally in the war room right now,” White said, evading Morgan’s question about Jon Jones’ involvement on the card. “All the fights [from] March 7th all the way to June 20th are laid out. We’ve kept this card so private and secret. 

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“Lenee, my head of PR, is sitting right across from me, and behind her is this big whiteboard that we moved in here. And the whole card is laid out right here on the whiteboard.

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“We’re going to do six fights. I might actually do seven. I might add one more, but yeah, I’m excited. I’ll announce…,” White added when Morgan pressed again about Jones.

This prompted Morgan to pivot and try his luck by asking about Conor McGregor. While White didn’t confirm that either, his reaction seemed like a hint at something positive. 

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“Interesting,” White said during the interview.

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It’s worth noting that during Thursday’s UFC 326 pre-fight press conference, Dana White claimed details about the UFC White House card, scheduled to unfold on June 14, will be revealed on Saturday. As for McGregor, he has been campaigning for a spot on the card since the card was announced last year. 

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Since then, he has been linked with several potential opponents, including Michael Chandler, Jorge Masvidal, and Nate Diaz, but none of those matchups have been confirmed. Jon Jones, on the other hand, found himself in a somewhat similar situation. In fact, Jones agreed to come out of retirement for a potential fight against Alex Pereira on the card. However, Dana White has been unwilling to place his trust in Jones again.

Jones subsequently returned to retirement after realizing White had no intention of adding him to the lineup. What gives the Jones vs. Pereira matchup some intrigue, however, is that Pereira recently vacated his light heavyweight title, making it theoretically possible for the UFC to pair him with Jones. However, nothing has been officially confirmed.

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Meanwhile, a report from Puck claims the event will involve an investment of around $60 million. With such a massive financial commitment, it raises the question: will the promotion bring out its biggest stars? Regardless, Happy Punch shared a clip of White’s interview with Piers Morgan on X, which quickly drew criticism from fans over White’s refusal to reveal further details.

Dana White + eye = the secret to Conor McGregor and Jon Jones’ involvement

Since White wasn’t willing to spill the beans, fans quickly put their minds to use to figure out who is on the card. “Somebody zoom in on the reflection of Dana’s eyes so we can finally see the card,” one user wrote. Well, the secret’s not out yet, so the reflection might not have been good enough. 

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Another fan felt they already knew who was headlining the card, but criticized White for keeping the rest secret. “The shiny egg head Dana White needs to stop holding this card hostage, just get with the names already, and we know Jon Jones vs Alex Pereira is the headline,” confessed the user. But Pereira could also be matched against Ciryl Gane since Tom Aspinall is not returning soon. 

Someone else felt Dana White didn’t have confidence in the card, writing: “Dana mentioning possibly adding another fight gives off the vibe that he is not very confident this card lives up to its expectations.” It could also mean White wants to add every great fight possible.

Meanwhile, the next user showed urgency for the card to be prepared. “Bro cmon and drop the bouts so I can see if I need to request PTO or not 😂,” the fan commented. But the fight’s on a weekend, so a leave might not be necessary. 

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The next user was simply excited about Conor McGregor’s involvement. The fan posted: “If Conor McGregor really gets added to this card, the hype will be unreal. Love him or hate him, nobody moves the needle like Conor.” His fight at UFC 229 against Khabib Nurmagomedov holds the record for the highest PPV buys in MMA history, with 2.4 million buys.

Fans are expecting more from Dana White by now. While they might not like the wait, it’s inadvertently creating even more intrigue for the card. Hopefully, after all this, the card will be great. Do you think Jon Jones and Conor McGregor will be on the card? 

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Written by

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Sudeep Sinha

4,234 Articles

Sudeep Sinha is a Senior Boxing Writer at EssentiallySports with over two years of experience covering the science at the ES RingSide Desk. Known for sharp fight-night coverage and detailed analysis, Sudeep has become one of the desk’s leading boxing minds. His work has been featured on major platforms such as Sports Illustrated, Daily Mail, and Yahoo Sports, where he covers everything from amateur boxing developments to high-profile controversies like Ryan Garcia career arc. Sudeep balances his professional writing career with a personal passion for reading, cycling, and lively debates about boxing match-ups and trends on social media. He takes pride in delivering engaging stories that resonate with both hardcore boxing enthusiasts and casual fans alike, providing clear insights into fighter strategies, training, and the evolving dynamics of the sport.

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