Donald Trump has confirmed that construction on the temporary arena for UFC Freedom 250 will begin at the White House South Lawn within the next week, offering the clearest look yet at the scale of what is being built for the June 14 event.
Speaking to reporters on May 1, Trump described an approximately 5,000-seat structure that will house the Octagon, while also revealing that an additional 100,000 spectators will be positioned further away at the White House Ellipse with access to screens.
“The arena, they’re going to start building it over the next week.”
He also addressed the cost for those watching from the Ellipse.
“It’s all free. It’s going to be great.”
A mockup of the arena has already been assembled in Lititz, Pennsylvania, giving a preview of the soaring 90-foot tall open-air structure that will serve as the venue. The White House declined to provide additional details about the structure or the event beyond what Trump shared with reporters.
The seven-fight card on June 14 falls on Trump’s 80th birthday and coincides with the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding. The main event is Ilia Topuria defending the undisputed UFC lightweight championship against Justin Gaethje. UFC CEO Dana White, a close ally of Trump, has said he believes the event will be the most-watched UFC card in history.
Trump has a long history with combat sports, having hosted boxing matches at his casinos during the 1980s and 1990s and attending UFC events regularly in recent years, including the April 11 event in Miami.