Dana White, UFC CEO, is used to making the rounds on the various talk shows to discuss matters related to MMA’s No. 1 promotion. 2026 serves as the first year of seven for the UFC on Paramount Plus. Effective with UFC 324 on Jan. 24, Paramount Plus will be the exclusive rightsholder for UFC cards inside the United States.
In addition to the United States, Paramount Plus will assume carriage rights to UFC events for Australian and Latin American audiences, the latter of which includes Brazil. Moreover, selected UFC flagship events (numbered cards) will be simulcast via the CBS network on linear television.
Cable’s CBS Sports Network will air selected episodic UFC programming, like UFC Main Event, as well. Also on the mind of Dana White: The upcoming UFC White House card in Washington, DC. Originally, Dana White and company had hoped to hold the White House show on Saturday, July 4 in commemoration of Independence Day.
Embed from Getty ImagesSubsequently, the event has been locked in for the night of June 14, the same day as United States President Donald Trump’s birthday. With the Paramount Plus era of UFC events due to begin in a few short weeks, White traveled to The CBS Broadcast Center for an interview on the Thursday edition of CBS Mornings.
Dana White Discusses UFC 324 on CBS Mornings Thursday
After Dana White was introduced by CBS Mornings co-host and The NFL Today analyst Nate Burleson, the conversation began with White discussing the forthcoming numbered event at T-Mobile Arena in Enterprise, NV, headlined by a UFC Interim Lightweight Championship fight matching No. 4 contender Justin Gaethje (26-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) with No. 5 contender Paddy Pimblett (23-3 MMA, 7-0 UFC.)
“It’s a great card,” Dana White said. “Like you said, the main event is fun, title implications and everybody wants the winner of this fight to fight Ilia Topuria. See how that plays out throughout the year.”
Ilia Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 MMA) enters 2026 as the UFC Lightweight Champion, but is taking time away from competition in the sport of MMA to tend to personal matters, leading to the UFC ordering the upcoming interim title fight. This contest was announced by Dana White at halftime of the Thanksgiving Day NFL game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys on The NFL Today.
The co-main attraction is the battle for the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship versing incumbent titleholder Kayla Harrison (19-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) and challenger Amanda Nunes (23-5 MMA, 16-2 UFC.) Nunes is suspending her retirement for this contest, and Dana White took time out to hype up the fight in his CBS appearance.
“The Kayla Harrison [versus] Amanda Nunes fight is the greatest women’s fight of all-time,” he said.
Dana White Mentions Concrete Plans for White House Show in Motion
As previously stated, the UFC heads to The White House in Washington, DC on June 14. Although no ticketed spectators will be in attendance that night, Dana White did say that some onlookers will be able to take in the one-off show.
“We literally just got done going through all the logistics of how to set it up there, how many people we can have,” he said. “It’s looking like we’ll have 5,000 people live on The White House lawn. It’ll be on the south lawn, and then, across the street is the park. It’s called the Ellipse, I think. We can have 85,000 people there.”
In addition to the show itself, Dana White is planning a full day’s worth of events in June.
“We’re going to have big screens and we’re going to have a stage,” he mentioned. “We’re going to have music throughout the day. We’re basically going to take over DC that whole week with lots of different things for fight fans.”
Dana White on Allure of Watching UFC Events In-Person
During the CBS Mornings segment, White mentioned that co-host Gayle King said off-camera that she isn’t a fan of fights. The UFC CEO rattled off some selling points for new viewers as the Paramount Plus era is set to begin.
“I guarantee you this: This sport blew up and grew as fast as it did because it is the most exciting live sporting event you will ever see,” Dana White said. “That I guarantee. I don’t care what you’ve been to or what you’ve done. I don’t care what you’ve been to and what you’ve seen. I’m a big [New England] Patriots fan, I’m a big [Boston] Celtics fan. The thing about the UFC is that it’s great on television, but it’s even better live.”
Final Thoughts
Putting the political leanings of the UFC as a company aside, the UFC White House card is something that has never been attempted before June 14 and it’s something that will never be attempted after June 14. Dana White made the same promise when talking about the 2024 version of Noche UFC.
That night’s card emanated from the Vegas Sphere. Much like the upcoming White House event, the show from the Sphere was also a one-off event.
Whether MMA fans love or hate the UFC CEO, there’s one certainty: Dana White knows how to run a business and run it well.
