Judge Rejects Attempt to Block UFC Event at White House

Washington — A federal judge on Friday dismissed a last-minute attempt to stop the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event scheduled for this weekend at the White House. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta denied emergency relief sought by two local residents from Washington, D.C. named Susan Douglas and Paul Romano, who filed a lawsuit six days prior. They claimed that the upcoming martial arts event violated restrictions for activities on White House premises and alleged that the structure called the Claw was constructed unlawfully.

Judge Mehta concluded the plaintiffs did not demonstrate any harm from the event and also lacked standing, meaning they were unlikely to show they had the legal right to sue.

The UFC event, named “UFC Freedom 250,” is scheduled for Sunday on the South Lawn of the White House. This coincides with President Trump’s 80th birthday and commemorates the 250th anniversary of the nation. Setup for the event included construction of the Claw, a 92-foot-tall structure, over the past three weeks, which will house the Octagon for the fights. Besides the seven scheduled fights on Sunday, several smaller events are planned starting Friday, including a press conference and fighter face-offs at the Lincoln Memorial.

Saturday’s agenda includes the ceremonial weigh-in of 14 fighters and a performance by the Zac Brown Band during the UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest held at the Ellipse. The White House anticipates around 4,000 attendees for the UFC fights on the South Lawn and about 12,000 spectators at the Ellipse. The event will be broadcast on Paramount+, owned by Paramount Skydance, which is the parent company of CBS News.

According to court filings, the White House detailed extensive preparations for the UFC event, including hiring over 700 subcontractors for the construction efforts. The White House and U.S. Secret Service cleared more than 2,000 people to participate in the “UFC Freedom 250” event and its broadcast, stated Andrew Fischer, director of White House Management and Administration. UFC and its partners have invested over $60 million in planning for the upcoming weekend, Fischer reported.