Organizing a UFC event on the South Lawn of the White House, championed by President Donald Trump, has become a colossal undertaking. More than seven federal agencies and hundreds of daily onsite staff are involved, with costs soaring to at least $60 million. This information emerged from a legal document shedding light on the elaborate preparations underway.
The occasion, which celebrates the 250th anniversary of America’s founding, is set for the upcoming weekend. On Sunday, the main attraction includes seven mixed martial arts bouts.
However, the event’s future is uncertain, pending a federal lawsuit by two Virginia residents against the National Park Service, which manages the South Lawn. They are seeking to stop the event, and a judge’s decision could determine its fate.
In response, the agency presented its case in court on Tuesday, detailing the extensive operations planned for the event.
The document revealed that “well over $60 million and tens of thousands of hours of labor” have already been invested. This financial backing comes from the UFC and its associated partners.
The octagon for the matches has been a focal point in the discussions and preparations.
It’s the eight-sided cage that surrounds the sometimes bloodied combatants and sits at the center of the constructed arena on the South Lawn.
It’s expected to hold 4,000 spectators, with another 120,000 visitors — who swung tickets from an online lottery — anticipated to watch from the nearby Ellipse.
The installation began on May 20, and the Secret Service worked with the UFC to screen between 20 and 30 trucks of equipment — as well as between “700 and 900” staff — that came in daily for the installation.
The document does not specify the extent of government resources spent on the project, but said that seven agencies, including Homeland Security and the Federal Aviation Administration, have “allocated significant resources and manpower.”
The schedule
It’ll kick off Saturday with a ceremonial weigh-in at the Ellipse, and then on Saturday, there will be a concert by the country group, Zac Brown Band.
A UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest will be ongoing through the weekend, with “interactive experiences,” live shows, celebrity appearances, “exclusive on-stage moments,” meet and greets, live music and interviews with the athletes.
Sunday night is when the seven bouts kick off. At the close, Trump is scheduled to fly to France for the G7 summit.
Disassembly of the installations will begin the next day, and is expected to be entirely removed by June 23.
The athletes’ Epsom salt baths
There are fourteen athletes competing, and their training is rigorous.
Preparations start months in advance, working toward more intense weight cutting and diet alteration in the final week that can include fasting, extreme sauna use and hot Epsom salt baths.
They could be shaving as many as 20 pounds before weigh-ins, which is designed to keep the competition fair between similarly weighted combatants.
Lawsuit calls it ‘corrupt’
It was filed on Saturday by the Public Integrity Project on behalf of the two Virginia residents and argues that Trump’s authorization of the event violated National Park Service regulations prohibiting sporting events on federal parklands.
One of the attorneys, Brendan Ballou, characterized it as a “corrupt use of our most sacred national monuments for private gain.”
The National Park Service pushed back on that claim, but also detailed the event’s preparations to make a point.
“All these hopes could be dashed at the very last moment,” it read, “by the whim of two people who believe they have superior taste and want to spoil the event for everyone else.”
