Construction has started on the White House lawn for a temporary Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) arena, set to host a cage match on 14 June to mark both the US's 250th anniversary and President Donald Trump's 80th birthday. Photos from Tuesday show cranes and equipment on the site, with Trump stating the finished project will feature a 5,000-seat arena outside the White House's front door.
Online renderings depict an octagonal cage surrounded by a red, white and blue stage under a towering arch with stars and stripes patterns, along with two large screens for live action. Thousands of temporary seats will surround the cage, including space for a marching band. Trump first proposed the idea last year during a Fourth of July appearance in Idaho, initially suggesting a crowd of 20,000 to 25,000 people.
The fight card has been scaled back from earlier plans of eight or nine championship bouts. It now includes two title fights: a lightweight championship between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje, and an interim heavyweight title fight between Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane. Trump, a long-time MMA fan, is close friends with UFC president Dana White.
The construction has affected the Scripps National Spelling Bee, relocated this year to Washington DC's Constitution Hall after 15 years in Maryland. Families staying at the nearby JW Marriott, who would normally walk across the Ellipse to the hall, now face a longer detour around the construction site. Rajeev Malhotra, parent of a speller, described the scene as 'two very disparate forms of entertainment'.
