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UFC fighter Brandon Royval criticized the idea of fighting at the White House as part of the Trump administration’s celebration of the 250th anniversary of the birth of the United States of America.
UFC president Dana White had already promised the “best card ever assembled” for the possible card that would take place on the White House lawn next June.
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Brandon Royval enters the Octagon during the UFC 317 event at T-Mobile Arena on June 28, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC)
It’s safe to say, based on Royval’s comments during a podcast on Monday, that fans might write off the 33-year-old Colorado native.
“I don’t give a damn about fighting in the fucking White House,” he said on “In the Arena.” “I want to fight in front of big crowds, bro. It’s like, how big can a stadium be in the White House? Is that outside too?”
“I don’t give a damn about any of our political figures right now, and it’s like fighting in front of them seems like some kind of ‘Hunger Games’ s***. I don’t give a damn about fighting in front of some fucking billionaires and rich people who wouldn’t give a damn about me. Probably throwing parlays. Screw you guys. I want to fight in front of people who are ‘Raw Dawg’ fans, or MMA fans, and who can relate to me. I’m not trying to fight in front of these damn morons, all these politicians, in my opinion.
Royval added that he had no interest in impressing any president.
June 28, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, United States; Brandon Royval (red gloves) before the fight against Joshua Van (blue gloves) during UFC 317 at T-Mobile Arena on June 28, 2025. (Stephen R. Sylvanie/Imagn Images)
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“None of them. I really don’t want to go fight in the White House if I’m honest. Plus, I look too Mexican. ICE is suspiciously arresting motherfuckers, and I don’t know it. Who knows, bro? Next thing you know, I’m in Mexico and I don’t speak Spanish.”
White said in October that by February the card will be ready for the June presentation.
While White has addressed many questions about the first-of-its-kind destination, he said the idea is still in the preliminary stages.
“We’re still talking about production and how everything will work in the White House,” he said. “We haven’t started negotiating any fight for the White House yet.”
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As for Royval, he will face Manel Kape in the main event of UFC Vegas 112 on December 13 in a flyweight bout.
