Despite speculation to the contrary, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has reportedly declined to attend UFC's upcoming White House show, even though he has close ties to TKO Group Holdings and UFC CEO Dana White.
According to Vanity Fair, a source close to Johnson confirmed that the actor and former WWE Champion has declined an invitation to the June 14 event. The decision is likely to raise eyebrows given Johnson's position on TKO's board of directors and his long-standing friendship with White, who has become one of President Donald Trump's most visible supporters.
Johnson was among the celebrity names highlighted by White during a recent interview. The UFC CEO revealed that invitations had been sent to Tom Brady, Jason Statham, Guy Ritchie, Jared Leto, Adam Sandler, Mario Lopez, and WWE's Final Boss.
The White House show also arrives at a time when WWE and figures associated with the company maintain strong ties to Trump's administration. WWE Hall of Famer Linda McMahon, the former CEO of WWE, serves as Secretary of Education. Her husband, Vince McMahon, has been a longtime friend and ally of the President, but is no longer associated with WWE.
Trump himself has a lengthy history with the sports entertainment giant, though, having hosted WrestleManias, participated in the famous "Battle of the Billionaires" storyline, and been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013.
Despite those connections, it seems Johnson opted not to attend. Representatives for Adam Sandler, Jared Leto, and Mario Lopez also confirmed that they will not be present, while the status of Tom Brady, Guy Ritchie, and Jason Statham remains unknown. Lopez's representative has said that scheduling conflicts and work commitments were behind his absence.
It was previously reported that approximately 1,200 of the 4,300 seats available for the show will be reserved for active-duty military personnel, with the remaining tickets split between the White House, UFC, and parent company TKO Group Holdings. We'd imagine some WWE personalities being in attendance, with The Undertaker a likely candidate given that Trump appeared on his podcast before the election.
Branded as UFC Freedom 250, the June 14 card coincides with President Donald Trump's 80th birthday and is part of celebrations leading up to the United States' 250th anniversary. White has previously stated that the promotion will cover the costs of staging the event, which is expected to be headlined by a lightweight title fight between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje.
Stay tuned for updates as we have them.