Derrick Lewis Joins UFC White House Card at Trump’s Request

derrick lewis is on the UFC White House card after President Donald Trump asked for the heavyweight bout to be added. Lewis said he was happy to be fighting and called the chance to compete at the White House “a dream come true.”

Trump’s White House ask

The move came after Trump pressed for Lewis to be included, with Dana White saying the president asked, “Why is Derrick Lewis not on the White House card?” White said he stepped away, called Lewis, and asked whether he wanted in.

Lewis did not hesitate. White quoted him as saying, “Of course I do. Tell the president thank you, I want to do it.” That response turned a late question into a spot on the card, and the matchup with Josh Hokit was added in the last 10 minutes.

Lewis and Hokit added late

White said the addition came together quickly after Hokit beat Curtis Blaydes, the No. 5-ranked guy in the world. He also said Joe Rogan asked, “Is there still room on the White House card?” before the fight was added.

White summed up the process bluntly: “President Trump built half of that fight, Rogan built the other half.” Both fighters accepted, and the bout was slotted onto the White House card alongside the already planned main event between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje.

Freedom 250 on June 14

The White House card is being called the Freedom 250 and is set for June 14 on the South Lawn. Lewis, a 41-year-old, said the setting hit him hard when he spoke about the chance to fight there.

“Very grateful, you know s---, it's like a dream come true to fight at the White House. I never thought I'd even make it this far in my career to be fighting at the White House,” he said. He added, “I'm so happy to be fighting at the White House, a dream come true. It's going to be a good night.”

For Lewis, the headline is not the president’s favorite-fighter label. It is the walk onto a card he was not on until the final minutes, in a setting he said he never expected to reach.