The Ultimate Fighting Championship stages mixed martial arts bouts on the White House South Lawn, with Ilia Topuria defending his lightweight title against Justin Gaethje.
8:59 PM
The Ultimate Fighting Championship will stage professional fights on the South Lawn of the White House on Sunday, marking the first time the executive branch grounds have hosted a sanctioned sporting event of this kind.
The event, named UFC Freedom 250, coincides with President Donald Trump's 80th birthday and the nation's 250th anniversary. The main card is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET, with earlier fights beginning at 5 p.m. ET. The fights will be streamed on Paramount+.
The headline bout features Georgian-Spanish fighter Ilia Topuria, the undisputed UFC lightweight champion, against American Justin Gaethje. Topuria is listed as a heavy favorite to retain his title.
The South Lawn will accommodate approximately 5,000 guests, including members of the military. Additional spectators are expected to watch from the nearby Ellipse park on large screens. The president and other top officials are expected to attend.
The event has required more than $60 million in investment and tens of thousands of labor hours to organize. A specially built arena dubbed "The Claw" will house a wire-mesh octagon cage for the fights.
President Trump has pursued the White House event for nearly a year. In December, Trump told reporters that the card would feature "eight or nine championship fights, the biggest fights they've ever had," describing it as part of Dana White's 25-year effort to elevate the UFC from the fringes of sports to mainstream pop culture.
The UFC announced on Friday that some fighters will receive bonuses in cryptocurrency issued by World Liberty Financial, a Trump family business. This development connects the Trump family's financial interests to the high-profile competition being promoted on government property.
The UFC is building a temporary octagon-shaped cage on the White House South Lawn for a fight scheduled June 14, coinciding with the nation's 250th anniversary and President Trump's 80th birthday.
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