UFC Fighters Descend on Lincoln Memorial Ahead of White House Bouts
The UFC says it spent $60 million on the weekend card, which a federal judge allowed to proceed despite a lawsuit from watchdog critics.
- On Sunday, June 14, 2026, the White House South Lawn will host a unique UFC event, "Freedom 250," featuring seven fights headlined by a lightweight title matchup between champion Ilia Topuria and interim champion Justin Gaethje.
- Billed as a celebration of 250 years of the United States and President Donald Trump's 80th birthday, the $60 million event aims to be "the greatest show on earth," according to the president.
- A federal judge on Friday permitted the event to move forward despite a Public Integrity Project lawsuit labeling it a "private, commercial, corrupt use of our most sacred national monuments for private gain."
- To secure the grounds, the Secret Service will deploy sharpshooters, explosives experts, and high-tech surveillance cameras around the 4,000-seat stadium constructed in the backyard of the president's residence.
- Thousands of fans arrived in Washington to support the fighters, attending community sessions where UFC fighter Randy Brown sparred with local teenagers ahead of Sunday's fights.
26 Articles
26 Articles
'Wait, is this for real?' Senator floored by White House UFC cash grab
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) reacted with open disbelief this week to President Donald Trump's plan to stage a UFC fight on the White House lawn while his family hawks commemorative coins off the spectacle."Wait, is this for real?" Merkley wrote in a post on X, accusing Trump of spending $60 million to ...
JUST IN: UFC Freedom 250 Set To Celebrate Trump’s 80th Amid Controversy!
The UFC Freedom 250 event, held on June 14, 2024, has ignited significant debate as it melded sports with political and cultural elements at the iconic White House. This ambitious affair celebrated two notable anniversaries: the 80th birthday of former President Donald Trump and the 250th anniversary of the United States. Notably, it marked the first professional sports event to take place on the White House South Lawn. Such a setting raised eye…
Inside the crowd drawn to Trump’s unusual UFC fight night at the White House - Regional Media News
WASHINGTON (AP) - One by one, the burly mixed martial arts fighters made their entrance past the solemn, hulking marble statue of America's 16th president and jogged down the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to roars from thousands of fans drawn to the unusual sporting weekend marking the nation's 250th anniversary and President Donald Trump's 80th birthday. The news conference Friday night featured the fighters who are preparing to face off Sunday…
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