Construction underway on UFC Octagon at White House for Flag Day fights
Construction on the Ultimate Fighting Championship Octagon is underway on the White House South Lawn ahead of President Donald Trump’s planned fights this summer to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States.
The event, dubbed "UFC Freedom Fights 250," will take place on June 14 -- coinciding with the president’s birthday and Flag Day -- and feature a lightweight title matchup between undisputed champion Ilia Topuria and interim title holder Justin Gaethje alongside four other fights.
"Selected fighters" will take home prize money -- some of which will come from Crypto.com, according to UFC.
The scaffolding -- which will frame and light the cage where the fight is occurring, according to renderings shared by UFC -- is visible from the White House North Lawn, cresting over the historic West Wing and Oval Office.
Trump has repeatedly touted the popularity of the fight, claiming at the congressional picnic earlier this month that he had "never seen anybody want anything so much as people want those tickets."
In an Oval Office event featuring some of the fighters earlier this month, including Topuria and Gaethj, Trump claimed that tickets would be free to attendees and that tens of thousands of people would be able to congregate on the South Lawn and surrounding parks to witness the event.
"Our country is invited to this, it's free," Trump told reporters, claiming that the Ellipse would be able to house 75,000 to 100,000 fans beyond the main stage on the South Lawn. "They're going to set up eight big screens and they're going to have the fight. And then out here, we're going to have 4,000 seats right in front of the front door of the White House."
On Saturday, UFC shared new renderings to social media of what the event is expected to look like. The images featured a large fighting cage surrounded by stadium seating as well as an overview of the "UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest" in Ellipse Park.
In a statement, White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said the event "will be one of the greatest and most historic sports events in history."
"President Trump hosting it at the White House is a testament to his vision to celebrate America’s monumental 250th anniversary," he said.
