White House construction begins on UFC arena for June 14 event

Construction has begun on the White House South Lawn for a UFC fighting arena scheduled to host matches on June 14. The event, dubbed UFC Freedom 250, will mark both the United States' 250th anniversary of independence and President Donald Trump's 80th birthday.

Workers have started assembling the temporary structure, which includes domed arches, a staging area, and an octagon-shaped ring surrounded by wire-mesh fencing. Online renderings show a star-spangled arch spanning over the cage with thousands of temporary seats arranged around the venue. The UFC is spending approximately $60 million on the project.

The arena will have a capacity of approximately 5,000 spectators on the White House grounds, including members of the armed forces and invited guests of the UFC and the White House. Additionally, upwards of 85,000 fans are expected to gather at Ellipse Park across from the White House to view the event.

Construction equipment, including large cranes and metal structures, began arriving on the White House lawn on Tuesday. Pieces of the structure were transported from Pennsylvania to the nation's capital for assembly.

The event will feature championship title fights. According to sources, the main event will pit Brazil's Alex Pereira against France's Ciryl Gane for the interim UFC heavyweight championship. Another main card fight will feature Georgia-born fighter Ilia Topuria, who is undefeated in his career, against American fighter Justin Gaethje.

President Trump previously described the project as the "biggest event" the UFC has ever had, featuring an "arena right outside the front door of the White House." The temporary venue is one of several major events planned around the nation's 250th anniversary celebration. Trump is also planning a temporary IndyCar street circuit racing past landmarks including the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol, scheduled to take place in August.

Construction is expected to be completed before the June 14 fight date, less than three weeks away from the start of work.