![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/poster-fallback.png\"\/)
<\/p>\n
Or maybe it\u2019s the not-so-small matter of Johns having lost his heart medication in transit.<\/p>\n
Regardless, Matty is on a roll.<\/p>\n
Indeed, having just listened to White talk up fighting in rain on the South Lawn this Sunday, then fighting in snow, even fighting around a lightning storm, having listened to him predict Super Bowl viewing numbers, and laughed off potential lawsuits, Johns finally pipes up from within a media scrum to say how happy he is to hear it all. <\/p>\n
\u201cBecause we\u2019ve come a long way,\u201d the Aussie grins to his new mate White. \u201cAnd we don\u2019t want you to f*** this up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cue much laughter, including from the famed US promoter himself.<\/p>\n
\u201cI agree brother,\u201d White cackles. \u201cAnd we\u2019re ready for all of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Officially dubbed UFC Freedom 250, this Sunday\u2019s run of seven fights on the White House lawn \u2014 and shown live in Australia on Monday \u2014 is an event which White stresses \u201cwill never be matched\u201d.<\/p>\n
In fact, the UFC president insists that when it comes to global sporting yarns from, say, the year 2000 on, \u201cyou tell me a better sports story, a bigger sports story, a crazier sports story than UFC\u201d.<\/p>\n
This is the yarn too, Johns is now in town to cover.<\/p>\n
And which woke him on day one, wonderfully, with a phone call at 3am.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, f***ing Fletch,\u201d Johns says, referencing longtime Fox Sports running partner Bryan Fletcher. \u201cBefore flying out, I completely stuffed up my times and agreed to a radio interview with him \u2026 which turned out to be at three o\u2019clock this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n
READ MORE UFC<\/p>\n
\u2018WOULDN\u2019T HAVE COMPETED\u2019: Why historic event is $60m legacy gamble for UFC\u2019s greatest<\/a><\/p>\n \u2018CROSSED A LINE\u2019: UFC war of words goes nuclear after White House trash talk turns personal<\/a><\/p>\n MATTY JOHNS IN THE U.S: Matty Johns\u2019 Trump gift revealed… and the one question he\u2019ll ask in UFC White House plot<\/a><\/p>\n \u2018SAID SOMETHING CRAZY\u2019: $1m UFC White House call as GOAT debate leaves top voices at odds<\/a><\/p>\n ‘It’s not my goal to be the GOAT’ | 04:02<\/p>\n Which put another way, was only hours after Matty arrived in the nation\u2019s capital.<\/p>\n And with his bag still somewhere in Dallas, Texas.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd the same bag that had my heart medication,\u201d Johns grins. \u201cI actually got an email about the issue just as I was landing in Washington D.C\u2026 and it\u2019s fair to say a dark mist quickly descended.<\/p>\n \u201cI landed, rang my wife Trish and she immediately called me an idiot. Said \u2018I told you to pack your medication in the carry on\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, I said \u2018Trish, it\u2019s not just the medication … some of my favourite pants are in there\u2019. [Laughs] I actually woke up after midnight wondering what was going to happen to my denim jacket \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Soon enough, he was woken again by Fletch.<\/p>\n Then within a few hours, Johns was back to the airport collecting his bag \u2013 \u201cgreatest feeling in the world\u201d \u2013 before heading downtown to the UFC fighter hotel and a run of big interviews with UFC megastar Ilia Topuria, title rival Justin Gaethje and, finally, that media scrum with White.<\/p>\n One where Johns stole the show, too.<\/p>\n Back in January, Matty and White met for the first time in Las Vegas, with the UFC boss agreeing to a lengthy sit down interview while Johns was in town for the NRL season opener.<\/p>\n Weeks later, the Fox League host was invited to the White House event.<\/p>\n And with an interview opportunity with no less than President Trump also trying to be made. <\/p>\n On Monday, it was during a small media scrum with only select broadcast partners where the pair were reacquainted.<\/p>\n And in typical Johns fashion. <\/p>\n With that initial \u2018don\u2019t f*** this up\u2019 line coming shortly after he also told the UFC boss about what Gaethje had offered up when asked about those criticising the idea of fighting on the White House lawn.<\/p>\n \u201cJustin said anyone who thinks this event shouldn\u2019t happen is a f***ing loser,\u201d Johns told White with a smile. \u201cDo you concur?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think that\u2019s a bit harsh,\u201d the promoter replied with a grin, before then going on to talk up the virtues of an event set to celebrate both America\u2019s 250th birthday, and President Trump\u2019s 80th.<\/p>\n From there, White went on to explain everything now happening around UFC Freedom 250, and right down to those rock climbers who, apparently, are already on standby and ready to ascend \u2018The Claw\u2019 should there be any lighting issues once the cranes disappear.<\/p>\n Jon Anik previews White House fights | 20:47<\/p>\n Elsewhere, White said, no less than three Octagon canvases are also at the ready.<\/p>\n \u201cSo if something goes wrong with one,\u201d he said, \u201cwe rip it out and put another one in\u201d. <\/p>\n And as for that lawsuit which, revealed in recent days, is making a late bid to stop the event entirely.<\/p>\n \u201cWe expected the lawsuit, and thought it would be sooner,\u201d White said before soon adding, \u201cI don\u2019t give a s*** about any of this stuff\u201d.<\/p>\n White also stressed that while UFC middleweight champ Sean Strickland has this week spewed vitriol about not being allowed attend the event \u2013 due to criticism of both Freedom 250 and Trump — those claims were false.<\/p>\n \u201cEverybody\u2019s banned apparently,\u201d White grinned. \u201cApparently f***ing everybody is banned.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, Sean Strickland isn\u2019t [banned]. Sean Strickland is banned from humanity. We don\u2019t want him near any human beings anywhere. F***ing shows up at Power Slap, he starts fights.<\/p>\n \u201cHe made it very clear he didn\u2019t want to be a part of this event and now apparently he\u2019s banned. Nobody is banned. Nobody\u2019s music is banned. No media members have been banned. The list goes on and on.\u201d<\/p>\n White added that, even for media alone, there have been 1000 people accredited to cover various fight week festivities.<\/p>\n Elsewhere, we can also tell you how quickly Johns built a rapport with Gaethje, the son of an Arizona copper miner who will main event against UFC lightweight king Topuria.<\/p>\n In fact, before even starting their interview, Johns offered a heartfelt thanks to Gaethje for continually mentioning his lineage, especially given how his own father, grandfather, even great grandfather were all Hunter Valley coal miners.<\/p>\n Which immediately drew an impressed response from the fighter considered something of a real life American Psycho.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re tougher than us,\u201d Gaethje said of coal miners. \u201cWe mine copper in the open pit. But underground coal is insane \u2026 I couldn\u2019t imagine.\u201d<\/p>\n Matty Johns and Justin Gaejthe chat ahead of UFC Freedom 250Source: FOX SPORTS<\/p>\n Yet while Johns and Gaethje bonded over shared family history, the former Newcastle premiership hero said that when it comes to which headliner seemed most ready for everything coming, he had to go with the reigning champ.<\/p>\n \u201cWho is just oozing confidence,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n That, and promised Johns to take the head of his rival. <\/p>\n During his own separate media scrum, Topuria was also again asked by Gaethje\u2019s comments to Fox Sports Australia late last week — where he took a dig at the champion\u2019s recent divorce saying: \u201cI would leave him. That\u2019s all I\u2019m saying. No way I would put up with his s***\u201d.<\/p>\n It was that initial sledge which has ignited an increasing war of words here Stateside between the pair.<\/p>\n And one which continued again on Monday, with the pair getting heated during a face-to-face meeting on The Pat McAfee Show.<\/p>\n At one point during the exchanges, Topuria declared: \u201cYou\u2019re not going to be able to do any f***ing thing.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a reason I\u2019m the world champion. I talk and I prove it.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m the king on this screen right now. I\u2019m the motherf***ing champion, not you. So shut the f*** up. I\u2019m going to put him to sleep in the first round. Don\u2019t blink. Because it\u2019s going to be very quick.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked later during the media scrum if he had been surprised by the American\u2019s dig, Topuria replied that he wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n \u201cNot at all,\u201d he started of Gaethje. \u201cBecause I always had the perception that he was kind of an idiot. He\u2019s just confirmed that \u2026 it wasn\u2019t a surprise to me.\u201d<\/p>\n But, he stressed, the sledge will carry repercussions.<\/p>\n \u201cI always had the desire to knock him out,\u201d he continued. \u201cBut [initially], it was after I knock him out I would shake his hand and show him respect.<\/p>\n \u201cBut now it\u2019s not going to be like that. I\u2019m not going to show him any respect.\u201d<\/p>\n