UFC plans White House South Lawn card for US 250th anniversary

President Donald Trump and UFC chief executive Dana White are pressing ahead with plans to stage an Ultimate Fighting Championship card on the South Lawn of the White House next June as part of the United States 250th anniversary celebrations, with preliminary planning now focused on a heavily restricted live audience and high-visibility public ceremonies in nearby Washington landmarks. Organizers have discussed holding ceremonial weighins on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and building an octagon on the White House grounds, but officials and promoters say security, capacity and logistics remain open questions.

White, who met with the president and his team this summer, has publicly confirmed that discussions are under way and said the show will go forward. He told reporters that renderings had been presented to the president and that the project was moving into a planning stage. White acknowledged the substantial security challenges of hosting a live sporting event at the presidential residence and said fewer than 5,000 people would likely be permitted on the South Lawn, with a separate fan zone in the adjacent park capable of accommodating many more on large screens.