The UFC has added a new fight to its upcoming White House card — at the request of President Trump himself.
The Commander-in-Chief was in attendance at UFC 327 in Miami on Saturday, and took in the action alongside UFC CEO Dana White.
And as the pair watched on at the Kaseya Center, Trump had a question for his political ally and combat fighting mogul.
“Why is Derrick Lewis not on the White House card?,” White recalled the president asking of the June 14 Freedom Fights. “I said, ‘I’ll be back in five minutes.’”
White explained that he then called the heavyweight fighter — who enthusiastically accepted the offer to be on the card — before Josh Hokit defeated Curtis Blaydes later in the night.
White’s close friend, UFC commentator Joe Rogan, then posited on the broadcast whether there was an open spot for Hokit on the Freedom 250 card, providing the CEO with the inspiration for Lewis’ next opponent.
“I grabbed [UFC senior vice president of talent relations] Nick [Maynard] and I said, “Go back there and talk [to Hokit], see if he’s in,” White told reporters.
“And Hokit was getting into an ambulance and said yes.”
The Lewis-Hokit card means that one of Trump’s favorite fighters will be participating in the White House UFC card.
“He’s a fan. He likes Derrick Lewis, he likes his personality, he likes the way he fights,” White told reporters of the president.
Lewis, who was knocked out in his fight to Waldo Cortes Acosta in January, had previously won three consecutive fights.
Hokit has a 3-0 record in UFC with previous wins over Max Gimenis and Denzel Freeman as well.
He and Hokit will join a stacked Freedom 250 card, which includes reigning champion lia Topuria against Justin Gaethje for the lightweight title
Ciryl Gane will also face off against Alex Pereira for the vacant heavyweight title, while Sean O’Malley will also fight Aiemann Zahabi.
