Washington, United States. A mixed martial arts arena is being built on the White House South Lawn for a UFC event planned for June 14, part of the United States’ 250th anniversary celebrations and coinciding with President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday.
Event plans
UFC, the professional mixed martial arts league run by Trump ally Dana White, is scheduled to stage a night of bouts at the executive mansion. Trump and White have said more than 4,000 spectators will watch from the arena, with many tickets reserved for military personnel.
Location and setup
The arena is being assembled on a section of the grounds used for Marine One departures, Easter egg rolls and picnics, near tennis and basketball courts, a horseshoe pit and a garden honoring presidents’ children and grandchildren. Four large metal scaffolding structures now stand in front of the White House, above the Truman Balcony, and video screens are to be suspended from them.
The octagon
The combat area, known as the octagon, will be placed inside the structure and surrounded by a chain-link fence. White has said in an interview with the New Yorker magazine that the arena is called “The Claw.”
Additional viewing areas
Officials are also planning viewing areas on the Ellipse, a 52-acre park south of the White House, with plans to accommodate an additional 100,000 people. Weigh-ins are set to be held at the Lincoln Memorial.
Trump and UFC ties
Trump has said he plans to watch the bouts ringside. He was an early backer of UFC when White took over the professional circuit in 2001 and allowed White to use his casino properties to host events when the sport was largely unregulated.
UFC history and regulation
The contests were criticized by the late Arizona Republican Senator John McCain, who called them “human cockfighting.” His opposition helped push UFC to seek state regulatory approval and build wider legitimacy in the early 2000s.
Other White House construction
The White House complex is also the site of another major project: Trump’s planned $400 million state ballroom, which critics have described as a vanity project and Trump says is needed for national security.
