Derrick Lewis is thrilled to be one of President Donald Trump's favorite fighters, and he has his sights set on an extraordinary opportunity: competing on the White House lawn, potentially for a UFC title, if he secures a significant victory at UFC 324.
In this highly anticipated event, Lewis will face the rising heavyweight star Waldo Cortes-Acosta on the main card, which is set to unfold at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. This event marks a milestone as it is the first UFC show broadcast on Paramount+ in the United States.
If Lewis emerges victorious in this matchup, he envisions himself fighting at a unique June event held on the iconic White House lawn, right in front of Trump himself. "Absolutely," Lewis expressed to MMA Fighting when asked about this dream scenario. "We’ll need to find a rival from Russia, Venezuela, or perhaps even a fighter from Greenland."
The idea of a UFC card at the White House has garnered significant buzz. UFC's CEO Dana White has indicated that once UFC 324 concludes, he and his team will promptly start organizing this unprecedented fight card.
Lewis was questioned about the possibility of facing well-known fighters like Jon Jones or Alex Pereira, both of whom have shown keen interest in participating in this historic event. There’s even speculation that they could compete for an interim heavyweight title while Tom Aspinall recovers from an eye injury sustained during his No Contest bout against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 last October.
“The Black Beast” believes that the allure of the event itself might overshadow the specific matchups on the card. "What really matters is the spectacle that everyone anticipates from the UFC White House event," Lewis elaborated. "Honestly, we don’t even need to focus on selling that card with remarkable matchups. Fans are just excited to see how everything unfolds at the White House because this is likely a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
"No future president would allow such an event to occur. I truly think this is going to be a unique opportunity. I'm incredibly excited about it, and I hope to be part of it. But even if I’m not, I’ll definitely be tuning in to watch."
Cortes-Acosta comes into this fight boasting an impressive record, having secured four wins out of five in 2025, including two consecutive knockouts against Ante Delija and Shamil Gaziev to conclude the year.
Lewis himself has achieved back-to-back knockout victories in his previous main event bouts. In his only fight of 2025 so far, he overwhelmed Tallison Teixeira in the first round at UFC Nashville last July. While there was talk about him being a dark horse contender for a shot against Aspinall in his inaugural title defense, Lewis felt he didn’t earn that opportunity yet.
A victory over “Salsa Boy” would bolster Lewis's claim to contend for the title—whether that be the interim or the undisputed belt. "I wasn’t really considering a title shot after that fight, especially given the level of competition I faced," Lewis admitted. "Heavyweight is always a bit uncertain; anyone can vie for the title. However, I felt that due to the caliber of my opponent, I hadn’t earned a title shot.
"But if I win at UFC 324, I believe I’ll have a solid case for a shot, especially considering where Cortes-Acosta stands in the rankings."
This journey leads us to ponder: What do you think? Should past performances dictate future title shots in the UFC? Or should every fight stand alone, with outcomes determining the next steps? Share your thoughts!
