A special tournament of the American MMA organization UFC called Freedom 250 will take place at the White House in Washington on June 14. RTVI.US has collected basic information about the event, the main fight of which will be the fight between the Spaniard of Georgian origin Ilia Topuria and the American Justin Gaethje.
“Disgusting” and unprofitable?
The UFC Freedom 250 tournament is dedicated to the 250th anniversary of the United States and will take place on the day of President Donald Trump's 80th birthday. Also celebrated on June 14 is US Flag Day, which, however, is not a federal holiday.
In recent years, Trump has regularly attended UFC events in Miami, Florida, and noted after his victory in the 2024 presidential election that he was interested in holding a special fight on the White House grounds. The initiative was supported by UFC head Dana White, with whom the Republican is on friendly terms.
Construction of the temporary arena for the fight began last month and has faced criticism from Trump opponents, particularly Hillary Clinton. Against this background, Trump managed to joke that he plans to leave the 90-foot (almost 30 m) structure on the territory of the residence forever, as once happened with the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
The view of the UFC White House claw from the air. 🇺🇸👀 pic.twitter.com/RMe0vFlkSh
— OverDogs Podcast (@OverDogsPodcast) June 11, 2026
An attempt by the non-profit organization Public Integrity Project to block the fight through the courts for alleged violations of federal law was unsuccessful, USA Today reports.
Federal Judge Amit Mehta said in his ruling on Friday that he agreed with the plaintiffs' arguments about the “disgusting” appearance of the structure near the White House, which was nicknamed “The Claw”, but did not consider the claim legitimate because the situation did not directly affect them. He added that, according to official information, the dismantling of the structure will begin on the morning of June 15. Mehta is an appointee of Democratic President Barack Obama.
It is expected that, in addition to Trump himself, the event will be attended by over 4,000 spectators, who will be seated in temporary stands. Tickets for UFC Freedom 250 were not sold – only those who received an invitation will be able to attend. As The Hollywood Reporter noted, an event costing over $60 million could be unprofitable for the organization.
First look inside the CLAW ahead of UFC White House.
Sunday can't come quick enough⏳ pic.twitter.com/3hNUdBPBkE
— UFC Picks (@UFC_Picks3) June 11, 2026
Regular fans will be able to watch the fights in the fan zone in the Ellipse area, a park adjacent to the South Lawn of the White House where the Claw is installed. Large screens have been placed in the Ellipse, and everyone wishing to enter the fan zone will be subject to checks, like at airports, said the Secret Service, which protects US presidents. To enter the fan zone, you will also need to obtain a free ticket in advance through the UFC website.
Topuria – Gaethje and costumes from a native of Moscow
The main fight of the evening will be a fight for the UFC lightweight belt between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje. The main card will also feature Brazilian Alex Pereira and Frenchman Cyril Gan fighting for the heavyweight title, among others. The bouts will begin at 8:00 pm ET and will be shown exclusively on the Paramount+ streaming service.
As noted by the Associated Press (AP), organizers discussed the possibility of showing UFC Freedom 250 on the public television channel CBS, but a decision was never made. The most affordable subscription, Paramount+, costs $8.99 a month, and the streamer previously stopped offering new users a free trial.
Others participating in the June 14 fights include seven more Americans, including Sean O'Malley and Josh Hokit, two Brazilians and one Canadian. Representatives of the post-Soviet space will not enter the octagon, however, the round numbers will be carried out by girls in costumes created by an American designer of Russian origin.
As Moscow-born fashion designer Marina Toibina told Maxim magazine ahead of the fight, her main goal in designing outfits was to combine the “energy of the UFC brand” with the “significance of the 250th anniversary” of US independence.
“We needed to combine strength, athleticism, glamor and American heritage into a fashion style that looked thoughtful, strong and recognizable,” said Toibina.
