sports
Seven fights on the South Lawn: Trump prepares for UFC birthday spectacle at White House
Show goes on for Trump’s 80th birthday event – featuring a 92ft ‘Claw’, thousands of seats and a fighting cage – despite ominous weather forecasts
TL;DR
- The White House South Lawn will host the UFC for the President's 80th birthday celebration.
- The event features an octagon, thousands of seats, and a large steel structure nicknamed 'the Claw'.
- This is the first major professional sporting event to be staged at the White House.
- The event was President Trump's idea, intended to appeal to his base.
- Critics have labeled the event a 'blood sport'.
- Attendance is restricted, with specific fitness requirements for military personnel.
- There are concerns about severe weather, including thunderstorms forecast for the evening.
- A legal bid to block the event was denied.
- The main event will be a lightweight unification bout between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje.
- A memorandum of understanding has been signed between the State Department and the UFC.
- One active UFC champion, Sean Strickland, claims he was not cleared to attend due to past comments.