Joe Rogan thinks Jon Jones has to fight at the UFC White House card.
Earlier this year, President Donald Trump and UFC CEO Dana White announced that for the 250th anniversary of the United States, they will hold a special event on the White House lawn next summer. Since the announcement, fans and fighters have been fascinated with what the card might look like, and that took a new turn earlier this week when President Trump declared that the event will have “eight or nine” championship fights on it, which drew a reaction from UFC commentator Joe Rogan reacted to the news.
“First of all, there are only eight weight classes, so how’s there going to be nine title fights? [Laughs]” Rogan said on his podcast. “[In a Trump voice] ‘We’re gonna have 20 title fights! All the title fights that’s ever been!’”
In fact, there are 11 weight classes in the UFC, eight men’s weight classes and three women’s, plus the ceremonial “BMF” belt. However, Rogan’s point remains that it’s unlikely the event will actually feature that many title fights, which would shatter the previous event record of three, which has happened nine times before.
And, for Rogan, what’s more important than loading the event with title fights is making sure one specific fighter does compete at the event.
“If they don’t do Jon Jones at the White House, I think it would be a travesty,” Rogan said. “They need to do that. C’mon! Dana’s like, ‘You can’t count on him.’ You can f*cking count on him. C’mon, stop. At the White House? C’mon!”
Jones has been campaigning to compete at the White House event since it was announced, even ended his short-lived retirement. However, Dana White has repeatedly shot down the idea, calling Jones unreliable.
Fortunately, there is no shortage of fighters lobbying to compete on the card, with numerous champions and big names making their case to fight at the event, including Islam Makhachev, Kayla Harrison, Conor McGregor, and more. And for whoever does get that opportunity, Rogan says it may end up being more difficult than they’re imagining.
“A lot of weird pressure, too,” Rogan said about fighting at the White House. “Because it’s like, all the security and protocols, all that extra shit in your mind before you have to go out there and fight. …Also, you’re fighting outside. It’s hot. What if it’s hot and muggy? That’s going to affect people. …
“So who knows what’s going to happen? I guess they’ll probably have to have some sort of roof over it, but what if it’s 98 degrees outside? It’s June in Baltimore, Maryland, whatever that is. D.C. gets hot in the summer!”
UFC White House will take place on June 14.
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