Shane Gillis attended the UFC event held on the White House lawn, but he initially wrestled with whether to go. During an appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, Gillis explained that he accepted and withdrew from the invitation several times before finally deciding to attend.
The event featured UFC bouts, motorcycles, military flyovers and a large crowd gathered at the White House. Gillis said the unusual setting eventually convinced him that the occasion was too rare to miss.
“I was laying on my couch after I canceled,” Gillis said. “I said yes and canceled like four times. And then the last time I canceled was the day before. And then I saw they were doing dirt bikes on the front lawn and I was like, I gotta see this.”
Rogan said he had encouraged Gillis to attend, reminding him that the event would likely be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Gillis ultimately joined Rogan, Daniel Cormier and John Anik at the UFC presentation, where the athletes competed with the White House as their backdrop.
Despite attending, Gillis avoided one part of the evening. When the group was invited into a VIP area, he decided against entering because he expected photographs to be taken with President Donald Trump and other guests.
“Let’s stop bringing up that early,” Gillis joked during the podcast. “I knew photos were going to be taken.”
He later described standing outside in the rain rather than being included in the official pictures. “I stood outside in the rain. I was like, I’m not getting my picture taken.”
Gillis had previously taken a photograph with Trump, but he viewed that earlier image differently. He described it as a funny picture from another period, while suggesting that the White House UFC event carried a more politically charged atmosphere.
The comedian also acknowledged that he had initially worried about the public reaction. The event drew criticism from some observers who objected to holding a combat-sports card at the White House. Gillis, however, said the spectacle was too unusual to ignore.
