White House erects UFC cage ahead of US 250th anniversary celebrations

Workers were seen assembling domed arches and a staging area on the South Lawn in preparation for next month's event. White House erects UFC cage ahead of 250th anniversary celebration Watch: UFC arena construction begins at White House ahead of fight Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Construction continues for the upcoming UFC match on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC. White House erects UFC cage ahead of US 250th anniversary celebrations Watch: UFC arena construction begins at White House ahead of fights Workers construct a UFC fighting ring ahead of a planned UFC fight on the South Lawn of the White House. The White House has begun construction on a UFC fighting cage on its South Lawn ahead of next month's event to celebrate 250 years of American independence. Workers were seen assembling domed arches and a staging area, which based on online renderings, will form an octagon-shaped ring surrounded by a wire-mesh fence and thousands of temporary seats. US President Donald Trump previously said the project will be the "biggest event" the UFC has ever had, featuring an "arena right outside the front door of the White House". Dubbed UFC Freedom 250, the event is due to take place on 14 June, with the UFC set to spend around $60m (£44.3m) on the project. Despite the large-scale promotion, the event will be headlined by just two championship title fights. Brazil's Alex Pereira will go up against France's Ciryl Gane for the interim UFC heavyweight crown, while Georgian Ilia Topuria is set to take on current interim champion Justin Gaethje for the lightweight bout. UFC president Dana White said earlier this month that 4,300 people will watch the event on the South Lawn, most of whom will be members of the military, while 85,000 tickets will be made available for free to members of the public to watch the event at the nearby Ellipse Park. The UFC said no tickets will be on general sale to the public. "I have never seen anybody want anything so much as people want those tickets," Trump previously said on the demand. The promotion will also offer "high roller" packages for some VIP guests, granting them special access at the event. The UFC did not confirm the cost, but guests will reportedly need to fork out $1.5m, according to respected MMA journalist Ariel Helwani. The UFC said it will not profit from the event, according to its parent company TKO Group Holdings, with president Mark Shapiro saying the show is "an investment for the long term". The White House has hosted recreational sports and events in the past, but the UFC's show will mark the first professional live sporting event to take place on the grounds. The event marks another White House construction in a series of projects by the Trump administration to remake the residence. The event marks another White House construction in a series of projects by the Trump administration Since returning to the White House, Trump has added gold details to the Oval Office, paved over the rose garden to install a patio space, refurbished the bathroom attached to the Lincoln bedroom, and demolished the East Wing to make room for a new ballroom. Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje alongside US President Donald Trump inside the Oval Office at the White House Special guests could pay $1.5m for UFC White House access Dana White and Donald Trump at UFC 314 in April UFC to spend about $60m on White House event US government personnel officials say non-disclosure agreements are part of an effort to stop leaks to the media. With the midterms less than six months away, there is a battle under way over the redrawing of voting maps. Ten people were injured and an unknown number are missing after a tank ruptured at a paper mill in Longview, Washington. The race will help determine whether Democrats can win back control of the US Senate for the last half of the Trump presidency. The massive structure will host a cage fight as part of celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence. The suspect previously obstructed a White House entry lane in June of 2025 and told Secret Service agents he was Jesus Christ. The BBC’s Bernd Debusmann explains the routine medical check of the president of the US. Trump said on Saturday that an agreement would include the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, without giving further details.