WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump turned 80 on Sunday, and his celebration featured a notable and unconventional event: cage fighting held on the White House lawn. This unprecedented spectacle coincides with ongoing challenges in the nation, including a three-month war with Iran that has drawn widespread disapproval from the American public and created turmoil in global oil markets. Compounding the situation, inflation has surged to its highest level since April 2023.
The White House, historically regarded as the people's house and a symbol of American democracy, transformed its South Lawn into a mixed martial arts arena for a UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) event named the Freedom 250. The festivities were designed to celebrate Trump's milestone birthday as well as the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Over $60 million and numerous hours of labor went into constructing the arena on the South Lawn, as indicated in a court filing from the National Park Service. UFC organized seven fights, all featuring male fighters, as part of the event to honor Trump's 80th birthday.
The fight card, which is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. Eastern time, is highlighted by two championship bouts broadcasted on Paramount+. UFC CEO Dana White has a long-standing relationship with Trump, dating back 25 years. White's first event as president of UFC took place in 2001 at the Trump Taj Mahal.
Throughout his presidency, Trump has attended four UFC events, often making his entrance to lively rock music and patriotic cheers from enthusiastic fans, similar to the fighters. White has also taken a prominent role in Republican politics, introducing Trump at two Republican National Conventions and joining him at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in April, which was disrupted due to a shooting incident.
Fans' reactions on social media toward the fight card have been lukewarm, finding it lacking excitement. The main event features Brazilian fighter Alex Pereira squaring off against French fighter Ciryl Gane for the interim UFC heavyweight title. Additionally, Spanish-Georgian champion Ilia Topuria will challenge interim champion Justin Gaethje, one of only two American fighters currently holding a portion of the UFC's 11 championship belts.
Among the main card are five additional matches featuring former title contenders such as Michael Chandler and Derrick Lewis, as well as former champion Sean O'Malley.
White confirmed that the event would take place regardless of the weather, stating that both strong thunderstorms and heavy lightning had impacted a promotional event at the Lincoln Memorial on Friday, and that the forecast for the evening of the fights also looked uncertain.
