Former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili has disclosed that the promotion knowledgeable him a deliberate trilogy struggle in opposition to present champion Petr Yan won’t happen on the White Home occasion in June due to Yan’s Russian citizenship.
No Russian
Dvalishvili revealed the knowledge in a latest assertion, saying the UFC confirmed he would obtain the subsequent title shot however dominated out the White Home as a venue. “I used to be informed by the UFC that I would be the subsequent to struggle for the title. They stated that we’ll have a trilogy with Petr. And so they additionally stated that our struggle won’t happen on Donald Trump’s birthday in June as a result of Petr is from Russia, and it’s not possible. They received’t permit him to struggle within the White Home,” the Georgian fighter acknowledged.
The UFC has scheduled a historic occasion on the White Home on June 14, 2026, coinciding with President Donald Trump’s eightieth birthday. The cardboard was initially deliberate for July 4, 2026, to align with the 250th anniversary of American independence, however was moved to accommodate the president’s schedule. The outside occasion will happen on the South Garden and is predicted to accommodate roughly 5,000 attendees on the White Home grounds, with a further 85,000 probably gathering at The Ellipse park throughout the road.
UFC White Home
Dana White has confirmed the occasion is transferring ahead and has acknowledged that planning conferences have taken place. The UFC president has indicated that struggle bookings won’t start till the primary quarter of 2026, however a number of high-profile fighters have already expressed curiosity in competing on the venue.
Yan captured the bantamweight championship at UFC 323 on December 6, 2025, defeating Dvalishvili by unanimous choice 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 assembly by unanimous choice. Yan is Russian and holds Russian citizenship.
Dvalishvili suggested the restriction on Russian fighters competing on the White Home venue may have an effect on different outstanding Russian opponents. If the coverage extends to all Russian residents, it could probably exclude Islam Makhachev, the present UFC welterweight champion, and Khamzat Chimaev, the reigning middleweight champion, from defending their titles.
White addressed the query of Russian fighters competing on the White Home throughout the UFC 322 post-fight press convention in November 2025. When requested whether or not Islam Makhachev may compete on the occasion, White dismissed hypothesis about nationality restrictions. “Yeah, it’s not America vs. the world. [It’s about] what’s the perfect card we will construct. We’re speaking about him presumably getting into the GOAT dialog right here, relying on what he accomplishes in his subsequent couple of fights. So, it’s a risk,” White acknowledged.
Khamzat Chimaev has additionally campaigned for a spot on the cardboard. Whereas Chimaev was born in Chechnya and holds Russian citizenship, he formally represents the United Arab Emirates in competitors and was granted UAE citizenship in January 2025. Chimaev has acknowledged he maintains his Russian citizenship and considers Russia his motherland regardless of representing the UAE flag.
Dvalishvili held the bantamweight championship from September 2024 till December 2025, efficiently defending the title 3 times earlier than dropping to Yan. The Georgian fighter had been using a 14-fight profitable streak earlier than the loss at UFC 323. In line with Dvalishvili, the UFC has promised him one other alternative to struggle for the title, although the timeline and venue stay unclear given the White Home restrictions.
The UFC has not formally introduced any fights for the White Home card as of January 2026. A number of different high-profile fighters, together with former two-division champion Conor McGregor and former heavyweight champion Jon Jones, have expressed curiosity in competing on the occasion, although White has expressed skepticism about counting on Jones for such a big card.
The weigh-ins for the White Home occasion are anticipated to happen on the Lincoln Memorial, and fighters might have designated warm-up areas contained in the White Home itself. Changing the grass on the South Garden the place the octagon can be located is estimated to price $700,000.
Whether or not the restriction on Russian fighters on the White Home occasion represents a venue-specific safety choice, a broader coverage shift, or applies solely to particular fighters stays unclear. The UFC has not issued an official assertion clarifying the extent of nationality-based restrictions for the June occasion.
