WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� President on Sunday and was set to celebrate with one of the more surreal spectacles both in sports and even in the nation’s capital: cage fighting on the White House lawn.
Against the backdrop of a that鈥檚 been broadly unpopular with Americans and has rattled and with to the highest level since April 2023, the White House 鈥� long known as the people鈥檚 house and a symbol of American democracy 鈥� opened its backyard Sunday night to stage a bruising UFC card on the South Lawn.
More than $60 million and tens of thousands of hours of labor have been poured into building the arena, according to a court filing from the National Park Service, which oversees the South Lawn.
UFC is staging with all under the Freedom 250 banner to celebrate Trump鈥檚 and the of the Declaration of Independence鈥檚 signing.
The headlined by two title fights on Paramount+ is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. Eastern.
It鈥檚 the pinnacle of the relationship between UFC CEO Dana that has yielded personal, political and financial dividends for both parties in a relationship that goes back 25 years. White’s first card as UFC president came in 2001 at an event held at Trump Taj Mahal.
Trump has attended four UFC cards as sitting president, walking to the cage amid rock music and patriotic chants from fans much like the fighters themselves. White introduced Trump at two Republican National Conventions. White also attended the White House Correspondents鈥� Association dinner in April that was cut .
In a card that has been panned by fans online as underwhelming, Alex Pereira of Brazil will meet of France for the interim UFC heavyweight title. Spanish-Georgian lightweight champion then takes on interim champ , one of just two Americans who currently hold even a share of the UFC鈥檚 11 championship belts.
There are five other fights on the main card that include former title-fight participants Michael Chandler and and former 135-pound champion .
White said the show will go on rain or shine. Strong thunderstorms and heavy lightning disrupted Friday鈥檚 Lincoln Memorial promotional event, and the forecast for Sunday evening also looks threatening.
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