Topline
The South Lawn of the White House is two weeks away from hosting “UFC Freedom 250,” a series of mixed martial arts fights, to celebrate President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday that could draw celebrities like Tom Brady, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Adam Sandler—who were invited, but have not confirmed—and cost a whopping $1.5 million to gain entry.
A UFC championship belt and President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House on May 6, 2026.
AFP via Getty Images
Key Facts
The UFC, run by longtime Trump ally CEO and founder Dana White, is planning the first-ever sporting event on the grounds of the White House on June 14, headlined by Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje competing for the lightweight title and Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane squaring up for an interim heavyweight title.
Construction of a purpose-built, 4,000-seat arena is underway on the White House grounds and will hold a full 87-foot UFC Octagon, massive video screens, red, white and blue staging and a custom overhead lighting structure called “The Claw.”
The Ellipse, a 52-acre park south of the White House, will host a fan festival where 75,000 to 100,000 people are expected to watch the fights for free.
At least 1,200 of the approximately 4,300 seats on the White House lawn will go to active military members, Time reports, and the rest of the seats have been divided up between the White House, TKO and the UFC.
Construction for the upcoming UFC match on the South Lawn of the White House on May 26, 2026 in Washington, DC.
Getty Images
Which Big Names Will Attend The White House Ufc Fight?
White has said he personally invited Adam Sandler, Guy Ritchie, Tom Brady, Jared Leto, Jason Statham, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (a TKO board member) and Mario Lopez. But a publicist for Lopez told Forbes he won’t be able to attend due to a conflict with his filming schedule for “Christmas at the Starlight”—we have reached out to the others to see if they will attend.
How Much Will The White House Ufc Fight Cost?
The UFC is expected to spend about $60 million on the production, including constructing the arena and paying the fighters, according to a March Sports Business Journal interview with Mark Shapiro, president of UFC parent company TKO. White has said the company, not the government, will pay the full cost and added UFC will lose approximately $30 million on the event. Shapiro called it “the greatest earned marketing tool of all time,” and “a once-in-a-generation moment,” he added.
Surprising Fact
White has said the UFC will spend $700,000 to repair the grass that will be damaged on the South Lawn by the arena.
Will Taxpayers Pay For Any Of The Event’s Costs?
It’s likely. While UFC has committed to covering the costs of putting together the actual event, it seems taxpayers will be on the hook for security costs including protection of the president and other high-level government officials, crowd control, traffic and other law enforcement presence at both the White House and Ellipse Park. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed to Wrestling Inc., an industry publication, that UFC Freedom 250 has been designated a “SEAR 1” event, the highest security classification given to special events, putting it on par with the Super Bowl and the Chicago Marathon. It cost the city of Santa Clara, California about $6.4 million in policing and other security services to host the Super Bowl earlier this year, according to local reports. President Donald Trump attended the Super Bowl in New Orleans in 2025, and a Snopes investigation reported the outing cost taxpayers millions of dollars in transportation, Secret Service payments and broader security measures, including the deployment of nearly 700 DHS employees. Forbes has reached out to UFC, DHS and the White House for more information on who is organizing security for UFC Freedom 250—and how much it will cost.
How Much Are Tickets To The White Hose Ufc Fight?
There’s no way to buy standard tickets for the event. The UFC has given away about 85,000 free tickets to fans who want to watch the matches on massive screens at Ellipse Park, about 1,000 feet away from the main event and not on White House property. The main fight on the South Lawn is invite-only, and seats have been allocated to military personnel, administration officials and VIP guests selected by Trump and UFC leaders. High-rollers and corporate sponsors can access VIP packages for $1.5 million that include seats on the White House lawn and access to a private reception, the ceremonial weigh-ins, press conferences, a Zac Brown Band concert the day before the event and floor seats for UFC 329, an event in July that will feature Conor McGregor’s first fight in five years.
How To Watch Ufc Freedom 250
UFC at the White House will still be streamed live on Paramount+ starting at 8 p.m. EDT Sunday, June 14. Plans start at $8.99 a month, and a subscription is required.
Chief Critics
Online commentators and critics of Trump have called the event “a disgrace” and tone deaf, in part due to Americans struggling with the impacts of the ongoing Iran war. UFC commentator Joe Rogan, once a big Trump fan who has split from the administration in recent months, said in a March podcast that it’s “weird to have a fight at the White House in the middle of a f***ing war.” White defended the event, telling Rolling Stone the UFC “can’t just bend and break and roll over for every bad thing that happens in the world.” Rogan—who still will be working the fight as a commentator—has also said he thinks the event is a “gimmick” and a security concern, most recently adding he dislikes the idea of an outdoor arena because it could expose fighters to heat, rain or bugs. Other Trump critics have said the event shows Trump’s priorities are not aligned with those of everyday Americans. “Thank god they are focused on the priorities of all Americans,” wrote California Gov. Gavin Newsom after the White House announced the fight. Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic Party, made similar criticisms: “Donald Trump has billions for his golden ballroom, a brand new UFC arena outside the White House, his MAGA criminal allies, and his war with Iran. He has nothing for healthcare.” John Dichtl, president of the American Association for State and Local History, questioned the fight’s billing as a celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary: “What does a (UFC) fight have to do with America’s greatness?”