Dana White Passes Over Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov While Building 4-Fight Dream UFC Lineup
When asked to build a four-fight dream UFC card, Dana White left Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov off the board in favor of four active blockbuster matchups.
Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov remains the biggest rivalry in UFC history, making it an easy pick for any fan's dream card. Yet when UFC CEO Dana White built his own four-fight dream lineup during a Bleacher Report segment, he passed on the iconic rematch.
Reviewing a board of fantasy matchups pitched by UFC fighters, White stamped a red X over McGregor vs. Nurmagomedov while approving four current-era showdowns instead. His selections show exactly where the promotion's biggest priorities sit heading into late 2026.
Why Dana White Rejected Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov and Other Legacy Fights
During the segment, White reviewed a four-fight graphic pitched by UFC stars. He approved the top slot, Josh Hokit vs. Alex Pereira, which Hokit pitched himself.
But the UFC boss rejected the rest of the board, stamping red X marks over Uros Medic's pick of Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov and Kayla Harrison's pitch of Harrison vs. Ronda Rousey.
When the interviewer pushed him to replace the fights he had crossed out, he shared realistic matchups involving active stars. First, he pitched a lightweight showdown between Paddy Pimblett and Ilia Topuria, saying, "Paddy Pimblett versus Ilia Topuria is a huge fight that makes sense and can happen and should happen."
For the third slot, he favored a bantamweight rematch. "Petr Yan, who just came off an incredible performance, you know, versus Sean O'Malley again. Big fight, credible fight that should happen and can happen."
He filled the last slot with Tom Aspinall vs. Jon Jones, saying, "My other fight would be Aspinall versus Jon Jones." When asked about Jones' chances in the matchup, White backed the former heavyweight champion, saying, "Yeah, he's the goat. He can do it."
Once the board was set, White recapped his four picks and said every bout fits what fans want right now. He concluded, "Topuria versus Pimblett. We got Aspinall versus Jon Jones. Petr Yan versus O'Malley. And Hokit vs. Pereira is a fight that people would want to see and a fight that they would probably want to do."
Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov Rematch Unfulfilled
McGregor vs. Nurmagomedov is the biggest piece of unfinished business White left off his card. Nurmagomedov submitted McGregor in the fourth round of UFC 229 in October 2018, and the rematch never happened because Nurmagomedov retired undefeated in 2020.
The other two rejections reveal how strictly White avoids outside-the-UFC headaches. When Ciryl Gane's pick of Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou came up on the board, White shot it down immediately.
"It was the fight that needed to happen and couldn't get it done with Francis," White said, referencing Ngannou's 2023 departure from the promotion. "Francis is a bad guy. I'm happy to not be in business with him anymore."
Similarly, White passed on Kayla Harrison vs. Ronda Rousey. While Rousey returned to mixed martial arts earlier this year on a Netflix card after nearly a decade away, she has not fought inside the UFC since December 2016.
White favored active UFC fighters and bouts he can actually negotiate, rather than chasing retired legends or fighters under rival contracts. Still, it remains to be seen how soon UFC matchmakers can book these matchups.
