We’re still seven months away from the UFC’s big White House card, but Islam Makhachev has already announced his intention to headline it.
“Donald Trump, let’s go!” he declared at Madison Square Garden. “Open the White House, I’m coming!”
Makhachev just claimed the UFC welterweight title on Saturday night at UFC 322 by wrestling Jack Della Maddalena to a 50-45×3 decision. With that, the two division champion likely reclaims his top spot on the pound-for-pound rankings and even opens the book with some on GOAT talk.
And with GOAT talk comes White House potential, according to UFC CEO Dana White. Asked at the post-fight press conference whether Makhachev could compete on the America 250 celebration card even though he’s not from the USA, White clarified an important point about the event.
“Yeah, it’s not America versus the world,” White said. “It’s what’s the best card we can build. We are talking about [Makhachev] possibly, GOAT talk here, depending on what he does in his next couple of fights. So, it’s a possibility.”
“Not the most exciting title fight you’ll ever see,” White admitted of Islam vs. JDM. “But let me tell you what: complete dominance. And depending on what we do next with him and what’s going on, this guy’s headed toward GOAT talk.”
He’ll have to get past Jon Jones, who White still considers the GOAT despite their recent feuding.
“Jon Jones is still the GOAT, whether you like it or not,” White said.
White closed out the UFC 322 press conference with a tantalizing reveal that he recently spoke with Jones.
“I talked to Jon Jones last night, actually,” White said with a smile. “Yeah. I got nothing to say about it. I don’t know. I just talked to him last night.”
Jones has been on his own quest to get the UFC to let him fight at the White House. Did this talk lay the groundwork for that? White clearly isn’t willing to start spilling the beans regarding any of that yet, but we’ll keep you updated as this story develops.
