Following the official unveiling of the UFC White House event’s fight card, reactions from both fans and fighters have been diverse. Scheduled for June 14 on the White House lawn as part of the America Freedom 250 celebration, the six-bout lineup includes two world championship fights. However, former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling expressed significant disappointment with the selection.
On his YouTube channel, Sterling critically questioned, “It’s only six fights, and this is truly the best six fights they could assemble?”
Leading up to the announcement, President Donald Trump had stated the event would exclusively feature title bouts, while UFC CEO Dana White had vowed it would be the ‘best fight card’ in the promotion’s history. Sterling contends that the UFC matchmakers failed to deliver on these lofty promises.
Sterling stated, “They promised one thing, and they didn’t deliver.” He acknowledged the appeal of the 135-pound division fight but suggested that if Sean O’Malley were facing Cory Sandhagen, it would carry significant weight. While not dismissing the opportunity for Aiemann Zahabi, Sterling expected higher-ranked competitors for such a prominent event. He emphasized the desire for marquee matchups featuring top-tier strikers in their prime, arguing such fights should be made before their relevance wanes.
The former champion added, “There was a marquee matchup available for this card, one that Sandhagen has been requesting for a considerable time. Instead, they opted for Zahabi, and I simply don’t understand the decision.”
Regarding the Michael Chandler fight, Sterling acknowledged the patriotic appeal of Chandler but questioned the logic of pairing him with Ruffy. He speculated that the matchup primarily serves to give Ruffy a significant career boost. While admitting it could be an entertaining fight, Sterling felt it lacked substantial meaning or title implications. He suggested Ruffy would likely be a heavy favorite, and for a card of this magnitude, a more consequential opponent for Ruffy would have been appropriate.
Sterling concluded, “They promised a massive card, and I’m not convinced this is it.” He clarified that his intent wasn’t to ‘nitpick’ but rather to voice his expectation for more impactful bouts involving top contenders within each division. He firmly believes that several more significant fights could have been arranged for the event.