The White House South Lawn is getting a temporary makeover, the BBC reports. Construction is underway on an octagonal wire-mesh UFC cage and temporary arena outside the White House, ahead of a June 14 fight card marking 250 years of American independence that President Trump has billed as UFC's "biggest event" yet. (June 14 is also Trump's 80th birthday, the New York Times reports.)
UFC Freedom 250, as the event is called, will feature two title bouts: Brazil's Alex Pereira vs. France's Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight belt and Georgia's Ilia Topuria vs. interim champ Justin Gaethje at lightweight. UFC president Dana White says about 4,300 people—largely military personnel—will watch on the lawn, while as many as 100,000 people will be allowed to watch the fight for free at the nearby White House Ellipse grounds. Ringside, there will be a full marching band providing music, the Guardian reports.
There will be no public ticket sales, though VIP "high roller" special access packages are reportedly being offered to some for $1.5 million. Parent company TKO Group says the UFC won't profit and is treating the spectacle as a long-term investment. It will be the first professional sporting event staged on White House grounds and comes amid a series of Trump-era renovations, including added gold accents in the Oval Office, a new patio over the former rose garden, a refurbished Lincoln Bedroom bath, and a rebuilt East Wing to accommodate Trump's new ballroom. The president is also planning an IndyCar street circuit racing event in August that will go past the US Capitol, Washington Monument, and other iconic sites.
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