In case you have not heard, the UFC is coming to the White House. And they are building an absolutely massive venue to make it happen.
On Sunday, June 14, at 8 p.m. EST, The Company will be holding UFC Freedom 250, live from the White House. The event will be broadcast on Paramount+, a new carrier for major UFC competitions. It was scheduled to celebrate both the 250th birthday of the United States, as well as President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday.
The headlines leading into this event are landmark, even by UFC standards. For starters, the ticketing process is anything but standard. What’s more, there have been wild swings on UFC moneyline odds for Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje, which is the headlining matchup on the main card, as noted by the folks over at OnlineSportsBetting.net.
Thus far, though, one of the most pressing questions for UFC Freedom 250 has been: Where, exactly, will the fight be held? Yes, we know it’s at the White House. But it isn’t happening inside the residence’s currently under-construction ballroom.
Indeed, like most other special-location events, a venue will be built from scratch for the occasion. And after a long wait, we finally know what it will look like.
The UFC 250 Freedom Venue Is Already Being Built
Inside two months of UFC Freedom 250, the venue is apparently already under construction. If you are wondering whether it’s big, the answer is no. It’s actually huge, as NBC 6 WJAC reports:
“A local Pennsylvania company has taken on a project coming to Washington this summer. Locals may have recently noticed an odd structure towering in the skies. The project, which looks like two giant crossed arches, will eventually become the venue for the UFC Freedom 250 White House event in June. Jeremy Strathmeyer, a Warwick Township supervisor, told CBS 21 the structure is 90 feet high with a 160’x160’ square at the bottom. Township supervisors approved the project in an April 15 vote.”
According to WJAC, the vote to allow construction for the venue was unanimous. However, when asked how much it would cost, officials would not offer a specific price.
Drone footage shows that the 90-foot-tall structure is exceedingly visible from far away. That makes sense given the scope and scale of the event. UFC and the White House are attempting to ensure that 4,500 people or more can attend what President Trump has said will be a cage match.
If you are curious whether the venue is actually being built on White House property, well, it absolutely is. The UFC event will be located on the south lawn of the White House’s property.
Construction of the UFC White House Venue is Not without Controversy
The very idea of a UFC fight taking place at the White House is bizarre. Naturally, there is plenty of controversy associated with it.
We won’t even touch the UFC’s decision to further politicize the sport, which has drawn tons of criticism. Many, however, are wondering what will happen to the venue once the event concludes. After all, there are horror stories of what happens to these micro-town-like venues following the conclusion of their use.
In this case, there doesn’t appear to be much to worry about. The Pennsylvania company responsible for it designed the venue with ease of assembly and breaking it down in mind. They are also responsible for restoring the part of the White House lawn on which it’s located.
While many have lamented taxpayer dollars being dedicated to such extravagance, the White House maintains it won’t cost American people a cent. TKO Group Holdings is reportedly covering the entire cost.
Still, there are caveats here. For starters, there will reportedly be increased security at UFC Freedom 250 that is provided by DHS. The DHS is funded by taxpayer dollars. It is not clear whether TKO will be footing that bill.
What’s more, there could be a quid pro quo at play. The CEO of TKO, Ari Emanuel, has asked President Trump to call off the anti-trust investigation into Live Nation and its parent company Ticketmaster. There’s nothing specifically saying that TKO is bankrolling UFC Freedom 250 in exchange for this consideration, but is at the very least a worthwhile footnote.
Could UFC Freedom 250 Open the Doors for Other Experimental Venues?
Depending on how popular UFC Freedom 250 is with the viewing audience not in attendance, The Company could consider other alternate venues in the future that they have not frequented before.
For the most part, UFC gravitates toward larger-scale arenas. But could we see more UFC fights held out outdoor venues? The owner of the Chicago Bulls, as one example, is apparently interested in bringing a fight card to Wrigley Field.
Taking it one step further, generative AI videos have already depicted UFC fights taking place at sea, often on cruise ships. Could we perhaps see one be held on an aircraft carrier? Or a floating octagon?
Though some of these ideas will seem far-fetched, remember this: The same thing was probably said about the idea of having a premier UFC event at the White House.
Main Image: “Dana White” Licensed Under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
White House Image: “Washington D.C.: White House” Licensed Under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
