The UFC is set to make history this weekend with an unprecedented event at the White House, celebrating 250 years of the United States. The fight card, named 'UFC Freedom 250', will take place on Sunday 14 June, coinciding with the 80th birthday of US President Donald Trump, a close friend of UFC president Dana White.
The cage will be constructed on the South Lawn, with seven fights scheduled. The main event features Ilia Topuria defending the lightweight title against Justin Gaethje. Other notable bouts include Derrick Lewis vs Josh Hokit in the heavyweight division and Bo Nickal vs Kyle Daukaus in the middleweight category.
Fans can watch the event live on Paramount+ in both the US and UK, with CBS providing coverage in the US and TNT Sports and HBO Max offering access in the UK. The fights begin at 5pm PT / 8pm ET (1am BST on Monday).
Attendance at the White House is strictly invite-only, with 4,300 guests expected, mostly military personnel. However, 85,000 free tickets are available for fans to watch from the Ellipse park, adjacent to the White House, where large screens will be set up. Registration is required for these tickets.
Pre-fight events include a press conference at the Lincoln Memorial on Friday 12 June and a fan festival at the Ellipse on Saturday 13 June, followed by the ceremonial weigh-in and a concert by the Zac Brown Band. Security is expected to be extremely tight, especially following an alleged assassination attempt on President Trump in April.
