The UFC commentator looks set to be cageside for the event on commentary duties, but has expressed his concerns just days before the event15:08, 29 May 2026Popular UFC commentator Joe Rogan believes staging the UFC White House event outdoors is a bad idea.‌The one-of-a-kind showcase seemed like a mere fantasy until US President Donald Trump unveiled plans to host a UFC event on the South Lawn last year. UFC supremo Dana White and his team were quick to get to work on the event as they hope to put on one of the most historic cards of all time.‌Topping the bill - which is scheduled to take place on Trump's birthday on June 14 - will be a lightweight title fight between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje. In the co-main event, Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane will met in a mouthwatering heavyweight clash for the interim title. From top-to-bottom, the card is stacked with world class fights.‌And with just days to go until the event, excitement appears to be through the roof - but Rogan has some concerns. Since the formation of the MMA promotion, almost all of the UFC's events have taken place indoors due to White's reluctance to host a fight night outdoors.FOLLOW OUR FIGHTING FB PAGE! Latest boxing and MMA news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook pageDuring a recent episode of his podcast, Rogan remains sceptical that everything surrounding the event will come to fruition. “The White House thing is odd,” he said. “I don’t like it. I don’t like the idea of fighting outside at all. June and it’s D.C. and we looked it up, the last time, like last year, same day, was 100 degrees. That’s hot as f***. You add the lights. How about dehydration?‌“The bugs are a big one. What are they going to do about that? How are they going to f****** do anything about the bugs because I know that Dana was talking about that recently, they were talking about maybe using fans. Is that enough? Got bug strips everywhere? What are you going to do? How are you going to stop the bugs, there’s a lot of bugs.”He added: “I just don’t think that you should compete in a world championship fight in a non-controlled environment,” Rogan said. “I think it should be inside an air conditioned arena. It should be a controlled environment, just like-You wouldn’t ask them to play a world championship basketball game outside in the sun. That would be crazy? You play in a f*cking air conditioned arena. That’s how it should be.“I get it, too, but listen, build a f****** roof. Build a roof. You’ve got all the money in the world. You want to do this for f****** America, it’s 4,000 seats. You build a 4,000-seat arena. How big is that? Get a f****** barndominium, put it in there. We did UFCs with the troops, we did them in hangars.‌“Put [the White House] in the background on TV. Who gives a f***? It’s just like, when world class fighters are competing, I don’t think they should have to compete outside. Imagine if someone loses a fight because it’s too hot out. Imagine if that becomes a factor. Imagine the dehydrated fighters. The dehydrated fighters that are now being forced 24 hours later to fight in a 100 degree heat.”The White House has recently begun construction on a cage on its South Lawn ahead of the event to celebrate 250 years of American independence. Workers have been spotted assembling domed arches and a staging area - which will form an octagon-shaped ring surrounded by a fence and thousands of temporary seats. The UFC is set to spend around $60m (£44.3m) on the project.And despite recent concerns, former bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley - who also fights on the card - has weighed in and offered his verdict, insisting fighters will have to adapt to the setting.Article continues below“It’s at the White House, so it’s just, you know, you’ve got to deal with whatever you got to deal with. That would suck to lose because of a reason outside of your skill set, you know, let the best man win. And if something plays a role because it’s outside and it affects the fight somehow, that would suck. it’s unfortunate but none of us signed the contract thinking it was inside," he told MMA Junkie.