President Donald Trump has signed off on an unprecedented spectacle: a UFC cage fight on the White House South Lawn, according to UFC Chief Executive Dana White.
"The White House fight is on," White, who pitched the idea directly to Trump during a meeting at the White House, told his 10.7 million followers on social media after the meeting, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday. "We got it done today."
The event, which is set for next summer, will bring mixed martial arts to one of the nation's most symbolic backdrops, complete with fireworks, lasers, and thousands of spectators.
The plans call for the UFC's Octagon cage to be placed between the White House and the Washington Monument. Overflow crowds are expected to watch on jumbo screens along the Ellipse and nearby areas.
Critics have dismissed the notion as undignified, with one headline calling it "authoritarian theatre," but Trump allies see it as a bold display of showmanship. White House aides, some with UFC memorabilia in their offices, are already fielding ticket requests from lawmakers and friends.
Trump, a longtime supporter of the sport, spent about an hour with White to discuss logistics, according to people familiar with the talks. His daughter Ivanka, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner and UFC fan, joined the conversation by phone and is expected to play a role in planning.
The event was initially slated for July 4, 2026, to cap America's 250th birthday celebration, but with other commemorations already scheduled, the date was shifted to June.
UFC also plans several days of fan festivities on the National Mall, including autograph sessions and interactive exhibits. Fighter weigh-ins and a press conference could take place on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, though organizers stress that plans are still in the early stages.
"This will be one of the greatest and most historic sports events in history, and President Trump hosting it at the White House is a testament to his vision to celebrate America's monumental 250th anniversary," Trump spokesman Steven Cheung commented.
Presidents have long blended sports and politics, from Warren Harding's tennis matches in the 1920s to George W. Bush's T-ball games and Barack Obama's pickup basketball, noted The Wall Street Journal.
Trump's relationship with UFC stretches back two decades, when his Atlantic City casino hosted bouts that helped legitimize the sport. He has remained one of its most visible political backers, attending events and courting the UFC's largely young, male fan base.
The White House fight comes as UFC's profile grows. Last month, Skydance's Paramount secured rights in a $7.7 billion deal that will put select fights on CBS.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.