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UFC fighter Brandon Royval touted 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.
UFC president Dana White had already promised the “biggest fight 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 could count the 33-year-old Colorado native out.
“I don’t care about fighting in the f—ing White House,” he said on “In the Arena.” “I want to fight in front of big crowds, bro. It’s like, how big of a stadium can the White House even have? Is it outside, too?
“I don’t give a f— about any of our political figures right now and it’s like fighting in front of them seems like a f—ing ‘Hunger Games’ type of f—ing s—. I don’t give a f— to fight in front of some f—ing billionaires and rich people who could give a few s—babs. guys. I want to fight in front of people who are ‘Raw Dawg’ fans or fans of MMA and who can relate to me.
Royval added that he had no interest in impressing any presidents.
June 28, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Brandon Royval (red gloves) prior to his 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 fight in the White House to be honest. I’m too Mexican looking too. ICE is suspiciously arresting moms and I don’t know. Who knows bro? Next thing you know I’m in Mexico and I don’t speak Spanish.”
White said in October that in February the map will be built for the June showcase.
While White has addressed many questions about the first-of-its-kind destination, he said the idea is still in its early stages.
“We’re still talking about production and how everything is going to work in the White House,” he said. “We haven’t started negotiating any matches for the White House yet.”
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As for Royval, he is set to take on Manel Kape in the main event of UFC Vegas 112 on December 13 in a flyweight bout.
