Trump is holding UFC fights on his birthday. “Everything will take place right in front of the White House”
President Donald Trump unveiled mock-ups of a completely transformed White House lawn that will host a UFC event in June. The Washington leader described the show as righteous “the biggest event the White House has ever had”.
Donald Trump, with four UFC fighters PHOTO X / The White House
Trump, who spoke on May 6 alongside four UFC fighters who will attend the June 14 gala, showed an image showing an octagon-shaped cage surrounded by thousands of spectators, with the White House dominating the makeshift arena. He also presented other images captured from different angles, including from above.
“It will never happen again. It has never happened before. And they will be the best fighters”Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, according to USA Today. “It will all take place right in front of the White House.”
Trump said a roughly 5,000-seat arena will house the fight cage, and another 75,000 to 100,000 spectators will be able to sit farther away in the Ellipse area near the White House, where they will watch the matches for free on giant screens. Construction of the temporary structure would begin shortly.
PHOTO X / The White House
The American president was accompanied to the White House by UFC fighters Justin Gaethje and Ilia Topuria, who will face each other in the main event, as well as Alex Pereira and Cyril Gane, who will fight in one of the other seven fights in the gala.
“These are true warriors”Trump said, referring to the four UFC fighters. “When we talk about warriors, they are warriors.”
Source: X/B @BShulkes
The UFC gala, timed to coincide with Trump's 80th birthday and Flag Day in the US, is part of a series of events organized by the administration to mark the 250th anniversary of the founding of the American nation.
The centerpiece of the arena was on display in Lititz, where a mock-up of the roughly 80-foot-tall outdoor structure was set up ahead of the White House event.
The current US president frequently hosted boxing galas at his casinos during his real estate career in the 1980s and 1990s, and has watched from the front row of winning matches by athletes such as Mike Tyson. In recent years, he has often attended UFC galas, including the April 11 event in Miami.
“It is truly an honor and a privilege”Gaethje told Trump, praising the president for supporting the UFC since before the sport became mainstream. “It's great that the event is on your birthday. It's great that it's also Flag Day. It's great to represent this country.”
