Donald Trump has responded to detractors of the upcoming UFC event at the White House, announcing his intention to proceed with the groundbreaking affair slated for June.
Named UFC Freedom 250, the event is set for June 14, coinciding with Trump’s 80th birthday. It has stirred a blend of excitement and political controversy.
Enthusiasts have eagerly embraced the announcement, yet some have voiced concerns about security and dissatisfaction with the lineup of fights.
Addressing the criticism, Trump asserted that the event promises to be ‘spectacular,’ commending UFC president Dana White’s dedication and efforts.
During an interview with Jake Paul, Trump confirmed his attendance at UFC Freedom 250, stating, “It’s going to be wonderful at the White House.”
He added, “Dana [White] is an incredible person. He’s a big fan of yours, you know. Dana is outstanding. Simply the best. There’s no one else like him.”
Donald Trump has hit back at criticism surrounding this summer’s UFC White House event
The UFC plan to host ‘UFC Freedom 250’ on the White House South Lawn on June 14
Earlier this week, UFC chief White confirmed plans to issue 85,000 free tickets for the promotion’s planned White House fight card.
Trump continued: ‘[White] had the idea of staging it right at the front door of the White House. We’ll be right in the front door of the White House.
‘And he’s got a tremendous card. I don’t even know if it’s filled out, but I just saw it and it looks like it’s going to be all top guys. They all want to fight at the White House.
‘So it’s going to be in honor of the 250th year. It’ll be great,’ the President added.
UFC Freedom 250 will be headlined by a lightweight title bout between Ilia Topuria and American star Justin Gaethje, with fans eager to see the outcome.
The co-main event will see Alex Pereira defend his interim heavyweight title against French star Ciryl Gane.
Elsewhere on the card, the likes of Sean O’Malley, Michael Chandler and Bo Nickal all feature – however some fans were still left disappointed with the line-up.
Currently there are plans to have around 5,000 VIP/military seats on the South Lawn for the June 14 event, with another 80,000 seats at the adjacent Ellipse Park.
The event will be held on the south lawn of the White House, with extra seating on The Ellipse
It’s unclear what kind of vantage point fans will get from Ellipse Park (bottom left), where they may be forced to watch on big-screen TVs. The fights will take place on the South Lawn
‘There’s a park that’s right there,’ White said on the UFC’s YouTube channel. ‘We’re gonna be ticketing 85,000 people in the Ellipse and the tickets are free.
‘We’ll announce how we’re gonna be giving them away soon, but you should plan on going to Washington DC for this event.’
It’s unclear what kind of vantage point fans will get from Ellipse Park, where they may be forced to watch on big-screen televisions.
The UFC is believed to be picking up the entire tab for the event, which is projected to cost $60 million, according to the Sports Business Journal.
Plans for the MMA bout are proceeding for the White House despite domestic concerns about terrorism amid the ongoing war with Iran. Recent attacks at Virginia’s Old Dominion University and a Michigan synagogue are being investigated as acts of terrorism.
Podcaster and UFC announcer Joe Rogan recently expressed fears that the June 14 event will be targeted by pro-Iranian terrorists.
‘It sounds crazy,’ said Rogan, who opposes the war with Iran. ‘It’s going to be very high security and high stress and weird to have a fight at the White House in the middle of a f***ing war.’
Joe Rogan has issued a terrifying warning ahead of this summer’s UFC White House event
Although Joe Rogan (left) has expressed skepticism about security at the White House event, Dana White (right) is pushing ahead with plans to issue as many as 85,000 free tickets
While UFC officials have promised unprecedented security measures for the event, Rogan was skeptical tensions can cool by mid-June.
‘I would hope the war will be sorted out by June, but quite honestly, I’m not confident that’s going to be the case,’ Rogan admitted.
‘It will be weird, having this high-profile event where everybody is in one place at one time right there,’ he noted, describing the gathering as a potential magnet for trouble.
‘It seems like you’re asking [for trouble],’ Rogan said.
