White House South Lawn to serve as venue for UFC cage match

A planned Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event at the White House this weekend is expected to cost more than $60 million, according to a recent court filing.

The event, called UFC Freedom 250, is part of the Trump administration’s celebrations marking America’s 250th anniversary. It is scheduled to take place tomorrow night on Flag Day, which also coincides with President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday.

The filing says officials have already spent tens of thousands of work hours preparing for the event. Organizers expect more than 4,000 spectators on the South Lawn of the White House.

Political leaders, CEOs, and celebrities, including Dana White and TKO CEO Ari Emanuel, will attend the event. It will be available exclusively on Paramount+ for viewers watching remotely.

Another 120,000 people are expected to gather on the nearby Ellipse after winning free tickets through a public lottery.

The event is facing a lawsuit from the Public Integrity Project, which argues that using White House grounds for the fights is an improper use of public property.  

A federal judge has now cleared the way for the event after rejecting a lawsuit seeking to block it. US District Judge Amit Mehta ruled that two Virginia residents who challenged the event lacked legal standing because they failed to show it would directly harm them. The Trump administration has dismissed the legal challenge as baseless.

A White House official said the UFC is paying for the entire production and that no additional taxpayer money is being used beyond regular government duties. TKO has also said the company expects to lose around $30 million on the event despite sponsorships from Ram Trucks, Crypto.com, and Monster Energy.

Public opinion remains divided. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found that only 16% of Americans support holding the fights at the White House, while 46% believe the idea is inappropriate.