Steve Garcia reveals UFC wanted to know if he had ‘clean record’ before White House booking

Steve Garcia, a featherweight on a seven-fight winning streak, revealed that the UFC conducted a thorough vetting process before confirming his spot on the historic UFC White House card. The promotion's Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell called Garcia's manager just days before the lineup announcement during UFC 326, asking about his availability and criminal history.

Garcia explained that the conversation on Monday was exploratory in nature—the UFC wanted to "feel him out" and confirm he had a clean record. "There's a lot of things that go into fighting at the White House," Garcia told MMA Fighting, noting the event will host between 4,000 and 5,000 invited guests on the south lawn with significant security considerations. He stressed he had nothing to worry about: "All I do is train all day. I've done that my whole entire life."

After that initial Monday call, Garcia heard nothing for several days, leading him to assume the UFC had passed him over. "There's 700 fighters on this roster," he said. The confirmation finally came Saturday during the UFC 326 broadcast when his name appeared on screen opposite two-time title challenger Diego Lopes. The UFC had kept the entire card secret and explicitly instructed Garcia not to tell anyone—even his coaches—about the potential booking until the official announcement.

Garcia expressed confidence in the matchup, noting the UFC selected him because they wanted fighters who would "come out with a bang." With 15 finishes among his 19 career wins, he thrives in exciting matchups. Facing the No. 2-ranked Lopes, who recently fought Alexander Volkanovski twice, represents a significant opportunity. "If I can capitalize and get a win over this guy, I think it will look good," Garcia said of the June 14 showdown.