It’s probably not a great look to have a UFC White House card, which is meant to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America, headlined by a bunch of Russian fighters like Islam Makhachev, Khamzat Chimaev, and Arman Tsarukyan.
There’s not much the promotion can do about Makhachev and Chimaev, since they hold division titles, but Tsarukyan can be held down for as long as needed since the No. 2-ranked “Ahalkalakets” has yet to capture the 155-pound crown (thanks partly to this).
That’s according to a new theory from UFC homer Daniel Cormier.
“It feels like that’s a massive fight that is worthy of being on such a massive card,” Cormier told his YouTube audience about the Justin Gaethje vs. Ilia Topuria lightweight title unification fight. “And with Topuria being who he is, with Gaethje being who he is, an American guy holding a UFC title – look, the UFC booked Paddy Pimblett vs. Justin Gaethje. (If) Paddy Pimblett won, you had a star who was going to fight Ilia for the belt.”
Gaethje defeated Pimblett at UFC 324 to capture the interim crown.
“Justin Gaethje won, now you have an American guy holding a portion of a title with a fight at the White House that is going to happen in June,” Cormier added. “It was a no-lose situation; and honestly, I don’t know how we missed it. Everybody’s like, ‘Well, why is that dude, why isn’t it Arman?’ Now it kind of makes sense because now that Gaethje has the belt, you’ve got an American guy holding a title going into the White House. It worked one way or the other. Now it makes more sense to me.”
And here I thought it was that nose-breaking headbutt that sent Arman to the showers.
The UFC White House fight card — which “needs winners like Jon Jones” — has yet to be revealed; however, the promotion recently gathered up all the top thinkers to start laying the framework for the June 14 super show. Expect an official announcement in the coming weeks, if not sooner.
