The UFC has held a mixed martial arts event on the lawn of the White House, a first for the official home of the U.S. president.
Here is what to know.
What happened?
The UFC staged an event called Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington DC on Sunday night (local time). An octagon was built on the grass for an invite-only crowd of around 4,000 spectators. A free fan festival with up to 85,000 spectators was held at the Ellipse, a large park adjacent to the White House.
The main event of the night saw American Justin Gaethje defeat Georgian-Spanish fighter Ilia Topuria to claim the sport’s lightweight title.
Wait, the White House?
The White House is the official home and workplace of the U.S. president. It normally hosts state dinners and political ceremonies rather than sporting contests. Sunday night’s event was the first professional sporting contest ever held at the venue.
Organisers built a custom open-air MMA octagon covered by a 28-metre-high ‘claw’ for the event.
Why is the UFC involved?
President Donald Trump is a longtime fan of the UFC and a close friend of its boss, Dana White. Trump first raised the idea at a rally in 2025, and the UFC agreed to organise and fund it.
The reported $US60 million ($AU85 million) cost is being covered by the UFC’s parent company, TKO Holding Group, rather than taxpayers, with White telling TIME that the company will lose $US30 million ($AU42 million) putting the event on.
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In May, Trump’s financial disclosures showed that he bought thousands of dollars worth of shares in TKO Holding Group in March, at the same time that he was promoting the event.
Why now?
The event marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, part of a year of celebrations branded America250. It was first floated for 4 July before shifting to 14 June, which is also Trump's 80th birthday and Flag Day, an annual celebration to mark the country’s adoption of its flag in 1777. Trump says the timing with his birthday is a coincidence.
There are other events planned for Washington D.C. to celebrate America250, including an IndyCar motorsports race around the National Mall.
What does the card look like?
The main event was a lightweight title fight between champion Topuria and interim champion Gaethje. Topuria’s team called the fight at the conclusion of the fourth round when he did not get up from his stool.
It marked Topuria’s first loss in the UFC. The co-main event saw Brazil’s Alex Pereira meet France’s Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title, with Pereira chasing a belt in a third weight class. Gane won the bout in the second round to claim the title.
No women’s fights were included on the seven-fight card.
Reactions
Supporters, including White and the Trump administration, have billed the night as a historic patriotic showcase. Critics say it blurs the line between the presidency and a private business. A lawsuit brought by two Virginia residents called the event "deeply corrupt".
A Reuters/Ipsos poll last week found that only 16% of Americans believed it was appropriate to host the event at the White House.
