Trump UFC fight live: Judge rejects attempt to shut down cage match on White House lawn

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Trump UFC fight live: Judge rejects attempt to shut down cage match on White House lawn

Stage is set for Trump’s birthday bash as the president’s DC-wide makeover includes massive MMA event on the south lawn

The fight is on. A federal judge has rejected an attempt to block Donald Trump’s UFC cage match from taking place after a lawsuit accused the administration of a “deeply corrupt” scheme to line the pockets of his allies.

A hulking superstructure is taking over the White House lawn for Sunday’s fight, coinciding with the president’s 80th birthday and marking the first-ever private sports event held there.

Crews have finished installing a 92-foot-tall “Claw” above the octagon-shaped stage for UFC’s Freedom 250, surrounded by arena-style seating and plastered with brand names and company logos, including Polymarket and Bud Light.

The event — in tandem with a White House-backed celebration of the nation’s 25th anniversary — will hold more than 4,000 people, and a nearby park is expected to hold more than 120,000 visitors for a watch party.

A federal lawsuit threatened to derail the event before it started. The last-minute lawsuit accused the administration of giving the UFC “unfettered access” to turn public landmarks into profitable billboards.

UFC committed $60 million to the event, according to court filings. The event is expected to draw multi-million dollar sponsorships as well as revenue through a broadcast agreement with Paramount +, a streaming platform operated by Trump allies.

White House officials say the UFC is covering costs for the unprecedented production, but several federal agencies have “allocated significant resources and manpower,” officials say.

Rain could wash out Trump’s UFC Freedom 250 birthday fight

Rain and lightning could end up being an uninvited opponent at Sunday’s UFC fight at the White House.

AccuWeather warns that on Sunday, Washington looks like it will be hit with a “a heavy thunderstorm late in the afternoon,” in which “downpours and lightning could impact the events at the White House.”

Rain could wash out Trump’s UFC Freedom 250 birthday fight at the White House

The UFC has vowed to carry out the fight, regardless of all but the most severe weather

Josh Marcus13 June 2026 02:05

Live updates: Lincoln Memorial to host first event of White House fight weekend

UFC Freedom 250 will kick off with a conference at the Lincoln Memorial at 8:30 p.m. ET, as UFC fighters trade barbs two days before competing on the White House South Lawn.

Follow along live here:

UFC Freedom 250 LIVE: Lincoln Memorial hosts press conference for divisive fights

Two days before seven fights occur on the White House South Lawn, the protagonists will share a stage and trade jibes

Alex Woodward13 June 2026 01:20

Top Democrat is investigating 'who really benefits' from Trump's UFC event

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, the top Democrat on a senate committee tasked with investigating the federal government, says he plans to look into Trump’s UFC event, which he says appears to be a “masterclass in marketing and corruption.”

“Sponsor ads line every side, with these payments & others largely undisclosed as to who really benefits & how much,” he wrote Friday.

He said he is “looking into it” through the Senate’s permanent subcommittee on investigations.

Alex Woodward13 June 2026 00:10

Stunt bike event reportedly coming to the White House this weekend

Trump's 80th birthday festivities are increasingly taking on the feel of a backwoods county fair — with motocross riders now set to perform stunts outside the White House this weekend.

"Nitro Circus" star Travis Pastrana and at least three other daredevils will reportedly set to show off their skills on Saturday, one day before the White House cage match.

Stunt bike event coming to the White House this weekend: report

‘Nitro Circus’ star Travis Pastrana is among the motocross daredevils set to show off their skills

Bruce Golding12 June 2026 22:30

Just in: Final preparations for Trump's UFC cage match underway

Crews are putting the finishing touches on the UFC Freedom 250 event around the White House, where a massive stage has been constructed on the south lawn.

Alex Woodward12 June 2026 21:00

Just in: Judge rejects Trump's 11th-hour attempt to keep his name on the Kennedy Center

While Trump transforms the White House and Lincoln Memorial into a UFC-branded event, the president is losing his grip on the iconic Kennedy Center.

A federal judge denied the administration’s 11th-hour attempt to rename the venue after himself after last month’s decision blocked the president from changing the name and shutting it down for renovations.

Kennedy Center lawyers are appealing that ruling and asked a judge to pause his order while the legal battle continues. That request was rejected on Friday afternoon.

Construction crews in neon green high-vis vests are staged outside the venue, where scaffolding has been set up around the letters on the facade.

It’s expected that the letters could be imminently removed.

Alex Woodward12 June 2026 20:20

MAGA’s least-favorite beer is all over Trump’s Octagon

Sponsors flocked to have their names all over the White House lawn, but one brand backing the Sunday bout stands out as something of a surprise: Bud Light.

The brand set off a MAGA firestorm in 2023 thanks to its brief partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.

The ensuing controversy, as Republicans piled on the brand for being too “woke,” contributed to Bud Light losing an estimated $1.4 billion and its spot as the top-selling beer in America.

Nonetheless, the Bud Light name will now ring the Octagon arena on the White House’s South Lawn — during Pride month.

MAGA’s least favorite beer is all over Trump’s Octagon ahead of White House UFC

Multiple companies with ties to the president are also sponsoring the event

Josh Marcus12 June 2026 20:00

Most Americans disapprove of Trump’s UFC birthday cage fight, poll finds

When asked for their opinion of the White House hosting the fight as part of its Freedom 250 celebrations, 40 percent of Americans said they strongly disapproved, and another 11 percent said they somewhat disapproved, according to a recent YouGov survey.

Majority of Americans disapprove of Trump’s UFC birthday cage fight

The White House will host six UFC bouts on the South Lawn on June 14 — Trump’s 80th birthday

Rachel Dobkin12 June 2026 19:30

Just in time for his 80th birthday, the Trump-Epstein reading room roadshow has arrived in DC

As Trump prepares for his UFC cage match for his 80th birthday, a new exhibition across town threatens to steal his thunder.

The “Donald J Trump and Jeffrey Epstein Memorial Reading Room” has opened its doors to give visitors the chance to step inside and read the Epstein files for themselves in hard copy.

The Trump-Epstein reading room roadshow has arrived in DC

Traveling exhibition presents the Epstein Files in hard copy across more than 3,400 volumes for visitors to read and reaquaint themselves with the shocking case

Joe Sommerlad12 June 2026 19:00

Trump has become DC’s developer-in-chief

From the demolition of the East Wing of the White House to make way for his ballroom to plans for a 250-foot-tall Triumphal arch on the Potomac River, Trump is racing to leave a massive physical imprint on Washington, D.C. that will endure long after he leaves office.

Brendan Rascius has more on the developer-in-chief:

Trump has become DC’s developer-in-chief

The White House says Trump is beautifying the capital, but, writes Brendan Rascius, Democrats and other critics claim he’s skirting standard approval processes and squandering taxpayer funds on self-indulgent boondoggles

Alex Woodward12 June 2026 18:20