UFC released new renderings for its upcoming Freedom 250 event at the White House, offering a first look at the Octagon setup on the South Lawn and a large fan festival planned nearby at The Ellipse.
The historic fight card will take place June 14 as part of the America250 celebration marking the nation’s 250th anniversary. The date also falls on President Donald Trump’s birthday.
Octagon Planned For South Lawn
One rendering shows the Octagon on the White House South Lawn beneath a massive overhead lighting and production structure known as “The Claw,” with the White House visible in the background.
History in the making 👀
New visuals for #UFCWhiteHouse and the UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest are here!
[ Presented by @Cryptocom & @RamTrucks ] pic.twitter.com/PQP7dut7fE
— UFC (@ufc) May 23, 2026
UFC projects roughly 5,000 spectators on the South Lawn, though Dana White has said about 4,300 people will attend inside the White House grounds, primarily military personnel and invited guests.
Crews have already begun building the temporary arena, with photos showing cranes and lighting structures on the South Lawn.
Fan Fest Planned At The Ellipse
Additional renderings show plans for the UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest at The Ellipse, including a main stage, tents, bleachers, food areas, and large viewing screens for fans attending the watch party.
The Fan Fest will run June 13 and 14 and will include appearances by UFC and WWE fighters, ceremonial weigh-ins, and a concert by the Zac Brown Band.
White said the nearby park will accommodate tens of thousands of fans with free admission.
“We’re gonna be ticketing 85,000 people in the Ellipse, and the tickets are free,” White said, Fox Sports reported. “We’ll announce how we’re gonna be giving them away soon, but you should plan on going to Washington, D.C., for this event.”
White Addresses Weather Concerns
White also addressed concerns about staging an outdoor fight card at the White House.
“Outdoors is just way too unpredictable,” White told Fox News. “And we’ve gone over this, if it rains, we’re going. If it snows, we’re going.”
“The only thing that will stop us is lightning,” he added.
Fight Card Takes Shape
The card features seven fights, with a lightweight title unification bout between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje headlining the event.
UFC also lists Alex Pereira versus Ciryl Gane in an interim heavyweight title fight, along with bouts featuring Sean O’Malley, Michael Chandler, Bo Nickal, and Diego Lopes.
The event reflects Trump’s longstanding relationship with White, who has appeared at multiple Trump campaign events and spoke in support of him during the 2020 Republican National Convention.
Fighters Meet With Trump
Fighters involved in the event recently met with Trump at the White House.
Topuria thanked the President for the “opportunity to build the biggest event in sports history,” Fox Sports reported.
Gaethje called the invitation “truly an honor,” adding, “It’s awesome. It’s your birthday. Awesome. It’s Flag Day. Wonderful to represent this country.”
