Jon Jones’ claim to the UFC White House most important event has one other outstanding supporter.
The previous UFC heavyweight and lightweight heavyweight champion has been making more noise than another fighter in relation to securing a spot on the June 14 card in Washington D.C.
Dana White announced Jones’ retirement shortly before United States President Donald Trump revealed plans to stage UFC fights on the White House lawn in 2026.
That news quickly led to a U-turn from Jones, who immediately staked his claim for the headline project together with the promotion’s biggest star of all time, Conor McGregor. Unlike the Irishman, White publicly rejected Jones’ plea, branding him too unreliable for such an occasion.
One in every of the UFC’s most dominant lively champions has now joined those calling on the UFC president to alter his stance.
- LATEST NEWS: ‘Televised execution’… Fans go wild about late contender for Knockout of the 12 months
Who should headline the UFC White House card?
Merab Dvalishvili supports Jon Jones’ claim to the UFC White House most important event spot
If the UFC were selecting a headline star based on merit, reigning bantamweight king Merab Dvalishvili would likely be at the highest of the pile.
The Georgian star has cemented himself because the leading alternative for ‘Fighter of the 12 months’ with three successful title defenses to this point. A record-breaking fourth defense will come when Dvalishvili and Petr Yan headline UFC 323 next Saturday.
But while ‘The Machine’ would like to compete on the White House lawn in 2026, he thinks there are more deserving American options for the most important event, including Jones.
“That will probably be an excellent honor for me and I will probably be grateful eternally,” Dvalishvili said during an interview with Stake regarding the UFC White House most important event.
“But, although I’m an American citizen now and the one American champion, I’m still Georgian, and I believe numerous great American fighters wish to headline this event.
“I believe they deserve it more, people like Jon Jones,” he added.
- LATEST NEWS: Daniel Cormier risks reigniting Jon Jones rivalry with personal query about his Chechnya trip
Merab Dvalishvili would accept a prelim fight on the UFC White House card
Fans have praised Dvalishvili for his humility previously, notably when he put plenty of big names above himself on the UFC’s pound-for-pound list.
The common-or-garden Georgian was back at it when discussing the potential for fighting on the White House lawn in 2026.
Speaking during a media scrum ahead of UFC 320, where Dvalishvili beat Cory Sandhagen, ‘The Machine’ said he can be willing to fight on the prelims if it meant with the ability to compete on the celebratory event.
“I might like to fight (on the White House),” Dvalishvili said.
“Even when I’m the primary fight on the prelims, I will probably be glad. I actually have no problem with that because I do know Ilia (Topuria) desires to fight there, McGregor desires to fight there, Jon Jones desires to fight there.”