Matty Johns’ Trump gift revealed… and the one question he’ll ask in UFC White House plot

Matty Johns has revealed the one question he most wants to ask American president Donald Trump – and the surprise Cessnock Goannas gift he has for the leader’s 80th birthday.

A longtime fight fan, Johns is today Stateside to cover the $60 million UFC blockbuster taking place on The White House lawn.

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Incredibly, Johns has been personally invited to attend the event by no less than UFC boss Dana White.

Johns revealed the famed US promoter is also working personally to try and sort him an audience with his great mate, Trump.

All of which follows a unique meeting between the Fox League personality and White back in January, during the 2026 NRL season launch in Las Vegas.

After a lengthy sit-down interview with White, Johns was then given a personal tour of his sprawling Las Vegas corner office — which includes separate rooms for stuff like a gym, bar, lounge, kitchen, dining area and oversized walk-in wardrobe — and within weeks, was also invited to be part of next Monday’s huge fight card.

Dubbed UFC Freedom 250, the historic June 15 event will see seven fights take place on the famed South Lawn, and on the same evening President Trump celebrates his birthday.

As part of his time in Washington DC, Johns will host a pair of shows alongside Australia’s UFC featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski – dubbed ‘Matty & Volk at the White House’.

The programs will air this Friday and Saturday night.

Discussions are also underway for Johns to have sit-down interviews with the likes of UFC superstar Ilia Topuria, White, and even President Trump.

Asked this week about his chances of interviewing the American President, Johns told Fox Sports Australia he was hopeful of adding Trump to a list of favourite interviewees including Will Ferrell, Mr T and Johnny Knoxville.

And with NRL boss Peter V’landys on a clear mission to grow rugby league’s footprint in the US, Johns said he is also definitely keen to assist by promoting ‘The Greatest Game of All’ to Trump.

“And my understanding is that Dana White is trying to make it happen,” Johns said of the interview. “That’s what I’ve been told.

“And it would definitely be interesting.

“[Laughs] Especially given I’m about to do some renovations here at home. And one particular neighbour, well, let’s just say he has been pushing back a bit. So I’m hoping to give Mr Trump the coordinates of their house. Obviously, he’ll have to really nail it though … we’re only a couple of doors down.”

And as for the one question he most wants to ask The President?

“Who are you going after next,” Johns cackled.

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Elsewhere, the Fox League host has also confirmed he will be taking a birthday present for Trump, with a couple of ideas already underway.

“One of which is a bottle brown musket,” he said. “It’s a 1974 edition. A testimonial drop celebrating Gary Johns’ 100th game for Cessnock Goannas.”

And as for where Trump would rank on his list of biggest interviews?

“It’s funny because we did so many through my years on radio with The Grill Team,” Johns recounted. “In fact, I look back now at so many of them and think ‘ah, you f***ing idiot’.

“Because back then, we would do so many of the interviews after our show, when you were that bloody tired and only thinking ‘OK, c’mon let’s just get through this’.

“But in the cold light of day, if you think about interviewing some of the blokes we did you’d be saying ‘wow, that’s fantastic’.

“As far as outrageous interviews go, as Reg Reagan I’ve interviewed Johnny Knoxville, Mr T, even Will Ferrell.

“I actually did Will Ferrell and John C Reilly together, and as Reg. Even picked them up, as a play on Talladega Nights, in what was called the ‘Reg Mobile’.

“We actually did a skit where we got pulled over and they both thought the cop was real.”

Back in January, Johns also did an extensive sit-down interview with White. A meeting which proved so successful that, only weeks later, he received a call inviting him to the UFC White House event.

“So the time with Dana White was really good, too,” Johns explained.

“I remember at the end of our interview, we were sat there chatting away and he had a couple of news crews waiting for him.

“We’d talked about the UFC, about boxing and Jai Opetaia, he even wanted to know about the NRL being played at Allegiant Stadium that weekend, given a few of the sides had been training out of his [UFC Performance Institute] facility.

“In fact, he was really curious about rugby league.

“Then when I thought we’d finished up, he said ‘OK, what are you doing now?’.

“[Laughs] I told him I was headed back to my casino, was getting on the p*** with Fletch and Hindy.

“And he said ‘mate, let me show you through my office first’.

“Which is about when his PA reminded him that CBS were waiting. Dana said ‘ah, don’t f***ing worry about it’ and off we went.

“He was showing me his meteor collection worth over $2 million, then a sabre tooth tiger skull, then a genuine samurai suit.

“I said ‘f***ing hell Dana, you’ve got some strange s***’.

“And then, he looks at me and says ‘man, when you’ve got as much money as I have, you can buy this sort of s**** …’.”

Elsewhere, Johns said he couldn’t wait to host a pair of UFC White House shows with Volkanovski.

“Because the guy is such a class act,” he said. “Both as a bloke and athlete.

“Like the fight he had against Islam Makhachev, and the way he conducted himself afterwards. I remember thinking ‘wow, sometimes when you lose you really do win’.

“Just the way Volk held himself after that one. There were plenty of people who thought he’d actually won that fight, and even though it went against him he remained a class act.

“[Laughs] It also blows me away that he played footy for the Warilla Gorillas, which was one of Reg Reagan’s old clubs.

“And incredibly, he got into the sport of MMA initially to get fit …”

So as for how he and Volk will spend their time in Washington DC?

“One of the things I’m really looking forward to seeing is, when we’re walking around Washington, how the Americans react to Volk,” Johns continued.

“Because my understanding is that they treat him like a God. They just love the way he fights

“As Australians, of course, we’re naturally understated. So when people talk about Volk it’s ‘oh, yeah, geez, good fighter isn’t he?’

“Yet if Alexander Volkanovski was American? They’d be saying ‘Oh, my gaaaawd, this guy is incredible, he’s the greatest’ all that stuff.

“So while we’re on the ground in Washington together, I’ll probably just get him to tell everyone I’m this legendary Australian fighter myself … that way I can sponge off him for free drinks all week.”

When it comes to the event itself, Johns said he couldn’t imagine watching fights on the White House lawn – including UFC superstar Ilia Topuria defending lightweight gold against America’s Justin Gaethje.

“Because as a player, one of the things I’ll never forget was walking out onto the old Wembley Stadium,” he said. “And with the entire crowd singing ‘Land of Hope and Glory’.

“Even right now, I’ve got chills thinking about it.

“We also had a Super League grand final played at Old Trafford, and more recently I’ve been inside Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas as a fan.

“But to actually say I’ve watched UFC fights on the lawn of The White House, it’s surreal.”