Derrick Lewis fight added to UFC's White House card at Trump's urging

The UFC has added Derrick Lewis versus Josh Hokit to the UFC Freedom 250 card set for this summer at the White House, a move which UFC CEO Dana White says came at the request of President Donald Trump.

The heavyweight fight between Lewis (29-13 MMA), who holds the UFC knockout record with 16, and Hokit (9-0 MMA), who beat Curtis Blaydes at Saturday's UFC 327 event in Miami, becomes the seventh fight at the June 14 event, which is commemorating the United States' 250th birthday.

White said at his press conference Saturday that Trump, who was in attendance Saturday, asked him why Lewis was not on the card for the White House event.

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"I'm sure you guys just saw the Hokit fight," White said. "About an hour ago, the president leans over to me and says, 'Why is Derrick Lewis not on the White House card?' and I said, 'Hold on, Mr. President.' I stepped away and called Derrick Lewis and said, 'Derrick, the president just asked why you're not on the card. Do you want to fight on the White House card?' He said, 'Of course.'"

White said the match was confirmed shortly after that when he talked to Hokit after his unanimous-decision win, which improved his UFC record to 3-0.

--Field Level Media

byDaniel Coleman

in

April 13, 2026

Derrick Lewis fight added to UFC's White House card at Trump's urging

The UFC has added Derrick Lewis versus Josh Hokit to the UFC Freedom 250 card set for this summer at the White House, a move which UFC ...

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Chris Payton-Jones, former Nebraska, NFL cornerback, dies at 30

Former NFL and UFL cornerback Chris Payton-Jones died on April 11 at the age of 30.

Payton-Jones was involved in a car accident on Saturday night at around 11:45 p.m. ET, according to Florida Highway Patrol.First Coast Newsreported that the player was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of State Road 24 when his vehicle crashed head-on with a pickup truck.

Payton-Jones was pronounced dead at the scene. The pickup truck overturned, with the driver and his two passengers suffering minor injuries.

“Chris was a beloved teammate and leader in the locker room, who demonstrated the importance of hard work, determination, and resilience throughout his career," a statement from the UFL read in part. "As importantly, Chris was always a bright soul who everyone throughout the league enjoyed spending time with off-the-field during his three-year tenure."

"From fan appearances and media engagements to his own content creation and openness to share the highs and lows of his personal journey, Chris carried himself with humility and integrity."

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Payton-Jones spent his four-year collegiate career with Nebraska and was undrafted in 2018. The Jacksonville native signed with the Detroit Lions and was released as part of the team's roster cutdowns. He landed with the Arizona Cardinals' practice squad, appearing in two games during his rookie year.

The cornerback played 29 games in four NFL seasons, making appearances with the Cardinals, Lions, Minnesota Vikings and Tennessee Titans. He later went on to play for the Seattle Sea Dragons in the XFL before the league merged with the USFL to create the UFL.

Jeff Galloway, Olympics, 1945-2026

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bill Mazeroski, baseball, 1936-2026

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Mike Wagner (right), football, 1949-2026

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sonny Jurgensen, football, 1934-2026

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Kevin Johnson, football, 1970-2026

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Phil Goyette, hockey, 1933-2026

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Martin Chivers, soccer, 1945-2026

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Sports figures we lost in 2026

Payton-Jones joined the St. Louis Battlehawks during the league's dispersal draft in 2024. He announced his retirement in January 2026.

Off the field, the cornerback was building his brand,Flashflix, where he described himself as a, "Videographer in Jax, FL bringing the cinematic vibes to YouTube."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Former NFL, St. Louis Battlehawks CB Chris Payton-Jones dies at 30

byDaniel Coleman

in

April 13, 2026

Chris Payton-Jones, former Nebraska, NFL cornerback, dies at 30

Former NFL and UFL cornerback Chris Payton-Jones died on April 11 at the age of 30. Payton-Jones was involved in a car accident on...

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Scottie Scheffler had Masters complaint about course setup after comeback

After it was over,once Rory McIlroy secured back-to-back Masters winswith a bogey at No. 18, the stunning comeback Scottie Scheffler nearly pulled off came more into focus.

The world's No. 1 golfer finished just one shot behind McIlroyafter beginning the weekend 12 shots back of the lead. Scheffler closed with rounds of 6-under 65 on Saturday and 4-under 68 on Sunday to rise up into contention. A Scheffler birdie attempt that just missed on the 17th hole loomed even larger once the final groups rolled in and McIlroy's 12-under par became the winning score.

But Scheffler had a different bad break on his mind when speaking to reporters after Sunday's final round. "I'm not in charge of course setup,"he told reporters, and then specifically referenced Friday's second round when he teed off with the morning wave and finished with a 2-over 74.

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Scenes from Scottie Scheffler’s final round at Augusta

OPINION:Rory McIlroy is Masters king and major royalty, a choke artist no more

“I would’ve liked it to have been a little bit more equal in terms of the firmness on Thursday and Friday," Scheffler said. "I was a bit surprised at how soft things were on Friday afternoon, especially as it got late in the day. But the weather also changes, like it was a bit windy on Thursday."

“So who knows, it’s just that’s part of the game," he continued. "We play an outdoor sport, and you don’t know how conditions are gonna change — especially course conditions. Overall, like I said, just Friday for me, going out early, not being able to shoot an under-par round, that definitely hurt my chances. I think I started the weekend maybe 12 back, so to get within one was a pretty good run.”

Scheffler was seeking a third Masters win in five years and it was his fourth top-five finish in seven starts this season.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Scottie Scheffler wonders if Masters course setup was 'equal' in 2026

byDaniel Coleman

in

April 13, 2026

Scottie Scheffler had Masters complaint about course setup after comeback

After it was over,once Rory McIlroy secured back-to-back Masters winswith a bogey at No. 18, the stunning comeback Scottie Scheffler ne...

Read More