No Russians at the UFC White House: Merab Says Trilogy Is Off the Table
Former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili has disclosed that the promotion informed him a planned trilogy fight against current champion Petr Yan will not take place at the White House event in June because of Yan’s Russian citizenship.
No Russian
Dvalishvili revealed the information in a recent statement, saying the UFC confirmed he would receive the next title shot but ruled out the White House as a venue. “I was told by the UFC that I will be the next to fight for the title. They said that we will have a trilogy with Petr. And they also said that our fight will not take place on Donald Trump’s birthday in June because Petr is from Russia, and it’s impossible. They won’t allow him to fight in the White House,” the Georgian fighter stated.
The UFC has scheduled a historic event at the White House on June 14, 2026, coinciding with President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday. The card was originally planned for July 4, 2026, to align with the 250th anniversary of American independence, but was moved to accommodate the president’s schedule. The outdoor event will take place on the South Lawn and is expected to accommodate roughly 5,000 attendees on the White House grounds, with an additional 85,000 potentially gathering at The Ellipse park across the street.
UFC White House
Dana White has confirmed the event is moving forward and has stated that planning meetings have taken place. The UFC president has indicated that fight bookings will not begin until the first quarter of 2026, but several high-profile fighters have already expressed interest in competing at the venue.
Yan captured the bantamweight championship at UFC 323 on December 6, 2025, defeating Dvalishvili by unanimous decision with scores of 49-46, 49-46, and 48-47. The victory avenged Yan’s earlier loss to Dvalishvili in March 2023, when the Georgian fighter dominated their first meeting by unanimous decision. Yan is Russian and holds Russian citizenship.
Dvalishvili suggested the restriction on Russian fighters competing at the White House venue could affect other prominent Russian competitors. If the policy extends to all Russian citizens, it would potentially exclude Islam Makhachev, the current UFC welterweight champion, and Khamzat Chimaev, the reigning middleweight champion, from defending their titles.
White addressed the question of Russian fighters competing at the White House during the UFC 322 post-fight press conference in November 2025. When asked whether Islam Makhachev could compete at the event, White dismissed speculation about nationality restrictions. “Yeah, it’s not America vs. the world. [It’s about] what’s the best card we can build. We are talking about him possibly entering the GOAT conversation here, depending on what he accomplishes in his next couple of fights. So, it’s a possibility,” White stated.
Khamzat Chimaev has also campaigned for a spot on the card. While Chimaev was born in Chechnya and holds Russian citizenship, he officially represents the United Arab Emirates in competition and was granted UAE citizenship in January 2025. Chimaev has stated he maintains his Russian citizenship and considers Russia his motherland despite representing the UAE flag.
Dvalishvili held the bantamweight championship from September 2024 until December 2025, successfully defending the title three times before losing to Yan. The Georgian fighter had been riding a 14-fight winning streak before the loss at UFC 323. According to Dvalishvili, the UFC has promised him another opportunity to fight for the title, though the timeline and venue remain unclear given the White House restrictions.
The UFC has not officially announced any fights for the White House card as of January 2026. Several other high-profile fighters, including former two-division champion Conor McGregor and former heavyweight champion Jon Jones, have expressed interest in competing at the event, though White has expressed skepticism about relying on Jones for such a significant card.
The weigh-ins for the White House event are expected to take place at the Lincoln Memorial, and fighters may have designated warm-up areas inside the White House itself. Replacing the grass on the South Lawn where the octagon will be situated is estimated to cost $700,000.
Whether the restriction on Russian fighters at the White House event represents a venue-specific security decision, a broader policy shift, or applies only to specific fighters remains unclear. The UFC has not issued an official statement clarifying the extent of nationality-based restrictions for the June event.
