Donald Trump has provided new details about the upcoming UFC cage fight set to take place on the White House lawn next month, marking his 80th birthday in unprecedented fashion. The event, dubbed UFC Freedom 250, will see fighters walk out of the Oval Office into an octagon erected on the South Lawn.
Event Details Unveiled
Flanked by four participating UFC fighters, Trump showcased renderings of the bizarre event, including a massive cage octagon just steps from the Oval Office. Approximately 5,000 invited guests will be seated on the South Lawn, with an additional 75,000 to 100,000 people in the "fan zone" on the Ellipse, the park adjacent to the White House grounds. "These are real warriors," Trump said of the fighters. "When we talk about warriors, these are warriors. These are the toughest people. These are the greatest fighters in the world. They come from all over the world. Some come from extreme poverty. Not too many people come from Fifth Avenue, for the most part."
Of the unprecedented event, Trump declared: "We're having a big fight. It's never gonna happen again. Never happened before." UFC fighter Justin Gaethje, who will participate in the headline title fight, praised Trump's support for the sport, stating he had been a "big part" of bringing it into the mainstream. "They thought we were just absolute animals," Gaethje said. "Well, they were right about that," Trump replied.
What Is Happening?
A UFC fight will be held outside the White House on Donald Trump's 80th birthday. Last year, for his 79th birthday, Trump organized a military parade featuring tanks, troops, and fighter jet flyovers, costing American taxpayers approximately $45 million. Now, to top that, a cage will be placed right outside the Oval Office for two people to fight. On June 14th, the octagon goes up on the White House South Lawn. Fighters will literally walk out through the Oval Office, and tens of thousands will watch on giant screens on the Ellipse. However, tickets for the South Lawn seats are not available to the public; only donors, lobbyists, senators, and those with significant influence in the Trump network can attend.
Why Is This Happening?
This has never been done before: a professional sporting event, a world title fight, held on the grounds of the White House as part of the sitting president's birthday party. The reason lies in Trump's long-standing relationship with UFC boss Dana White, who hosted fights at Trump's Atlantic City casino in the early 2000s when no one else would. Since then, White has been one of Trump's biggest financial and vocal supporters. The event also coincides with celebrations for America's 250th anniversary.
Schedule of Events
Three events will take place over a weekend in downtown Washington DC:
- Friday, June 12th: Press conference at the Lincoln Memorial with fighters appearing on stage.
- Saturday, June 13th: "Fan Fest" opens on the Ellipse for the ceremonial weigh-in, followed by a concert by the multi-platinum Grammy award-winning country-rock group Zac Brown Band.
- Sunday, June 14th: Fight takes place from 8pm ET (1am UK time).
Fight Card
There will be two title fights: a lightweight bout between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje, and a heavyweight fight between Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane. Further down the card:
- Sean O'Malley vs Aiemann Zahabi
- Josh Hokit vs Derrick Lewis
- Maurício Ruffy vs Michael Chandler
- Bo Nickal vs Kyle Daukaus
- Diego Lopes vs Steve Garcia
