January 18, 2020; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Conor McGregor holds an Irish flag as he celebrates his first round TKO victory against Donald Cerrone following UFC 246 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

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Daniel Cormier And Chael Sonnen Shut Down Idea Of Conor McGregor Headlining UFC White House Card

The UFC White House event has become the most talked about fight card that doesn’t even have an official date yet. Dana White has been hyping this potential show as something truly special, and naturally, every big name in MMA wants a piece of the action. Conor McGregor jumped on the opportunity early, claiming he should headline the historic event. This would be against Michael Chandler in what would be his long awaited return to the octagon after almost 4 years.

But not everyone thinks the Irish superstar deserves the top spot on such a monumental card. Two of the sport’s most respected voices have stepped forward with a reality check. Daniel Cormier and Chael shut down the idea of Conor McGregor headlining UFC White House card, suggesting that while he would certainly be a massive draw, the main event slot should go to someone else entirely. Their reasoning makes a lot of sense when fans think about the bigger picture and what this event represents for American MMA.

Why The Legends Think Conor McGregor Should Take The Co-Main

Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen aren’t trying to disrespect McGregor when they suggest he should settle for the co-main event. They are just being realistic about what would work best for such a prestigious venue. Talking on the Good Guy / Bad Guy, Cormier pointed out that having McGregor headline would be “too big of an ask” and that the main event should feature an American fighter in a title fight. This makes perfect sense. Fighting at the White House should celebrate American combat sports, not just global star power.

“I believe he would be in the co-main event… That would be too big of an ask to get him to fight in the main event.”

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The veteran commentator believes McGregor would still be the biggest star on the card regardless of his placement. But the symbolism of the main event matters more than usual here. Having a foreign fighter close out the show at America’s most famous address might not send the right message. Cormier and Sonnen suggested that Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall would make the perfect headliner, especially if they could set it up as a rematch after an initial bout earlier in the year.

Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall As The Main Event?

This Jones-Aspinall idea actually has some serious legs to it. Both men had been circling each other for months before Jones eventually retired, Aspinall served as the interim heavyweight champion in that timeframe. A fight between these two would be massive and the rematch scenario would give both fighters multiple opportunities to build hype and create the kind of storyline that deserves a White House setting. Plus, Jones represents American MMA royalty, making him a natural choice to headline such a patriotic event.

“Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall, they’ve got a whole year. All they’ve got to do is find their way to an Octagon somewhere in the next 12 months. Whoever gets their hand raised, I think that sets up for a very nice rematch.”

Cormier and Sonnen didn’t stop at just the main event when mapping out their ideal White House card. They threw out several other names that would fit the American theme perfectly while still delivering the star power. Sean O’Malley got mentioned as someone who should definitely be on the card. Cormier also brought up Justin Gaethje and Kayla Harrison as perfect fits for the event.

The beauty of their suggestions is that none of these fighters would overshadow McGregor’s return. But they would create a card that feels appropriately American while still maintaining the global appeal that makes UFC events special. McGregor could still have his moment and generate massive pay-per-view numbers. But the main event would carry the right symbolic weight for such a unique venue.

(Image Credit: Mark J. Rebilas – Imagn Images)

Conor McGregor

Jon Jones

Justin Gaethje

Kayla Harrison

Sean O’Malley

UFC White House

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!