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On June 14, 2026, Donald Trump will host a mixed-martial arts (MMA) card on the White House grounds featuring fighters from his friend Dana White’s Ultimate Fighting Championship. In addition to White, who was filmed slapping his wife at a nightclub in Mexico in 2022, the Freedom 250 fight card was scheduled to feature fighters with histories of problematic statements and allegations:
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¶ The UFC Freedom 250 Fight Card Included Josh Hokit, Sean O’Malley, And Ilia Topuria
¶ The Original Fight Card Included Sean O’Malley And Ilia Topuria
March 2026: The UFC Freedom 250 Fight Card Included Sean O’Malley And Ilia Topuria. According to Newsweek, "The UFC White House card has been announced, and there will be two marquee title fights. During the UFC 326 broadcast on Paramount+, it was announced that an undisputed lightweight title fight between Ilia Topuria (17-0) and Justin Gaethje (27-5) will headline the June 14 'Freedom 250' event. [...] The rest of the card has also been set. Ilia Topuria (c) vs. Justin Gaethje (ic) - for the undisputed UFC Lightweight Championship Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane - for the interim UFC Heavyweight Championship Sean O'Malley vs. Aiemann, Zahabi Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler, Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus, Diego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia" [Newsweek, 3/7/26]
¶ Josh Hokit Was Added To The Card In A Fight With Derrick Lewis
April 2026: Trump Asked Why Derrick Lewis Was Not On The Fight Card, Leading UFC President And CEO Dana White To Add Lewis And Josh Hokit To The Lineup. According to CBS Sports, "Moments after scoring the biggest win of his career, Josh Hokit was added to the next biggest fight of his career. UFC president and CEO Dana White announced on social media that Hokit will take on veteran Derrick Lewis at Freedom 250 in June at the White House. Hokit will make the quick turnaround in two months after battling Curtis Blaydes in arguably the best fight of 2026 to date. The two fighters combined to land 354 significant strikes, a new three-round heavyweight record and the third most combined significant strikes in any three-round UFC fight, according to UFC. Blaydes (177) actually outlanded Hokit (174). White said that President Donald Trump, who was seated Octagonside, asked him why Lewis was not on the Freedom 250 card, so he called Lewis to put him on the card. White then said that the matchmakers went back stage after the Hokit fight and asked him if he wanted to fight at the White House and Hokit simply said ‘yes.’” [CBS Sports, 4/12/26]
¶ Hokit Was Known For His Racist, Homophobic And Misogynistic Comments
¶ Josh Hokit Made Racist Posts On X
August 2025: Josh Hokit Called A Black UFC Fighter A “Gorilla,” Then Doubled Down On It After Being Called Out For Being Racist.
[Josh Hokit - X, 8/26/25]
August 2025: Josh Hokit Said That “Because There Are Laws That Keep” Jasmine Crockett From Getting Her “Teeth Knocked Out” She Would Never Learn She Was “Slightly Retarted Or Be Held Accountable” For Her “Big Mouth.”
[Josh Hokit - X, 8/27/25]
March 2026: Josh Hokit Said That If Pereira Loses At UFC Freedom 250 Trump Should Send Him Back To Mexico.
[Josh Hokit - X, 3/7/26]
¶ Josh Hokit Made Homophobic Posts On X
November 2025: Josh Hokit complained about gay characters in TV shows.
[Josh Hokit - X, 11/30/25]
March 2026: Josh Hokit Said Steve Asplund’s Piercings Were Gay.
[Josh Hokit - X, 3/26/26]
February 2024: Josh Hokit Said It Was Gay To Hire Your Step-Son’s Father So They Could Spend Time Together.
[Josh Hokit - X, 2/15/24]
May 2026: Josh Hokit Called Pereira Gay For Not Responding To His Insults.
[Josh Hokit - X, 5/18/26]
¶ Hokit Made Racist And Transphobic Comments During Interviews And In Videos
January 2026: Hokit Said Called Basketball Player Brittney Griner A Man During A Post-Fight Interview, Prompting UFC CEO Dana White To Say He “Didn’t Love” The Comments. According to the Sporting News, "During the live, in-cage interview, Hokit launched into a rhyming promo filled with exaggerated boasts and insults. At one point, he said, 'Me losing in a fist fight? n-word, please,' before continuing uninterrupted. He later called out fellow heavyweight Waldo Cortes-Acosta with personal attacks and ended the speech by dragging WNBA star Brittney Griner into it, saying, 'P.S., Brittney Griner is a man.' The remarks quickly circulated online, diverting attention from the bout itself to the interview's content. White said afterward that he did not hear the speech live, but was made aware of it afterward. 'I didn’t,' White said when asked if he heard the interview as it happened. 'I heard about it. I didn’t see it. I don’t love it.' White did not expand further on potential consequences for Hokit, but his comments made clear that the post-fight display was not viewed favorably by the UFC’s top executive." [Sporting News, 1/25/26]
May 2025: Hokit Said Michelle Obama Was A Man. During a post-fight interview, Josh Hokit said, “And P.S. Michelle Obama is a man.” [theincredible_hok, Instagram, 5/10/25]
June 2025: Hokit Made Racist Comments About Brazilians. According to SFGATE, "Hokit also spewed multiple racist remarks toward his opponent, Guilherme Uriel, who is Brazilian. In the pre-taped introductory video, Hokit said: 'I know there is two facts about Brazil: Their women are beautiful and their men are absolutely stupid. For him to sign a contract to fight me, that makes the second fact true.' Uriel also shared a video on social media that Hokit had previously posted on his Instagram but since deleted, where Hokit unloaded more insults at his opponent and also implied his opponent would be called a racist slur if he had grown up in America." [SFGATE, 8/20/25]
June 2025: UFC Fighter Guilherme Uriel Posted Clips Of A Video That Hokit Had Posted To Social Media In Which Hokit Made Racist And Homophobic Insults And Suggested Uriel Would Have Been Called “Nigger” If He Had Come To The U.S. In The Past. [ursouriel_mma, Instagram, 6/25/25]
¶ O’Malley Made Racist And Misogynistic Comments
August 2023: O’Malley Said It Was OK For Him To Cheat On His Wife Because, “I’m A King, I Pay For Everything,” Citing The Misogynist Andrew Tate. According to Fox News, "O’Malley appeared on 'RawTalk' before the fight against Sterling and talked about his open relationship with Gonzalez. O’Malley explained why it was OK for him to have flings with other women and said it wouldn’t be fair if he wasn’t as successful as he is. 'I’m a king, I pay for everything,' O’Malley said, via the New York Post. 'I treat Danya like a queen. If I get a little p---- on the side. What does that have to do with anything? I have testosterone running through my veins. It’s that f---ing simple. 'If I wasn’t paying for everything, if I wasn’t, you know, successful in any sort of way, and I was just like maybe an average Joe, I probably wouldn’t. It probably wouldn’t be fair. But I’m f---ing King Kong baby. Andrew Tate explains it well, it’s status. You know I got status so I can.'" [Fox News, 8/25/23]
January 2026: O’Malley Apologized For Wearing A Surgical Mask To A Face Off With Chinese Fighter Song Yadong In What Song Called A “Totally Racist” Reference To COVID-19. According to The Independent, "Sean O’Malley has apologised for any offence caused by his face-off with UFC opponent Song Yadong, after 'Suga’ Sean' wore a surgical face mask while staring down the Chinese fighter. O’Malley, a former bantamweight champion, will face Song in the co-main event of UFC 324 on Saturday, as the pair clash at Las Vegas’s T-Mobile Arena. While things have largely been cordial between Song and the American star, the build-up to their bout has not been without controversy. In December, when they faced off for the first time, O’Malley sported a surgical face mask. Many fans assumed the move was a reference to the Covid disease, the first known case of which was found in China, Song’s home country. And while Song laughed at the move in a recent interview with Home Of Fight, he simultaneously labeled it 'totally racist'. O’Malley, 31, addressed the matter at a pre-fight media day on Wednesday, saying: 'My intentions were never harmful. It’s supposed to be a little, silly joke. It was that, and it got taken out of [context]. I apologise if I offended anybody.' Song, 28, also spoke on the topic, saying: 'I’m OK, but I think don’t bring racism in this sport. Just keep it a sport.'" [The Independent, 1/22/26]
¶ Topuria Was Accused Of Domestic Violence
December 2025: Ilia Topuria Was Forced To Take A Break From MMA Fights Due To Allegations Of Domestic Violence From His Ex-Wife. According to MMA Junkie, "Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) initially planned on taking some personal time off, which resulted in an interim title fight booking between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett in the UFC 324 headliner on Jan. 24. However, it appears Topuria will be out for even longer after ongoing legal issues with his ex-wife. Topuria, 28, revealed that he's facing allegations of domestic abuse from his ex-wife, forcing him to focus on dealing with the situation. On Monday, he opened up on his 'difficult decision to temporarily step away from defending (his) title' in a lengthy statement posted on social media. 'This was not a decision I took lightly. However, when circumstances arise that threaten your personal integrity, your family, and your reputation, there comes a point when you must address them directly,' Topuria said. 'In recent months, I have been subjected to severe and unacceptable pressure, including threats to disseminate false allegations of domestic abuse unless financial demands were met. These allegations are entirely unfounded. The truth is not a matter of opinion – it is a matter of evidence. All relevant evidence has been carefully preserved and documented, including audio recordings, written communications, witness statements, and video material. This evidence has been submitted to the appropriate judicial authorities in order to pursue legal action for attempted extortion, falsification of evidence, misappropriation of funds and personal property, and multiple threats. My initial decision to remain silent was made solely to protect my children, who are the most important part of my life.'" [MMA Junkie, 12/15/25]
February 2026: Topuria Settled The Allegations Out-Of-Court In What Observers Reported As A “Loss” For His Ex-Wife. According to MMA Mania, "Topuria hasn’t competed since a June 2025 knockout of Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 to win the vacant 155-pound title (re-live that here). It looked like 'El Matador' would return in Jan. 2026 for UFC’s first big numbered event on Paramount+; however, Topuria announced he was stepping back from the sport to deal with a contentious divorce and custody battle. Now, those legal troubles are resolved, according to ABC, Madrid’s oldest newspaper. It’s reporting that an out-of-court settlement has been reached between Topuria and Giorgina Uzcategui, which withdraws a complaint of domestic abuse against the Spanish sports star. This has to be seen as a 'loss' for Uzcategui, who the report claims accepted, 'the same terms that Topuria had offered her from the beginning of the conflict.'" [MMA Mania, 2/6/26]