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.”
The temporary stadium built on the White House lawn includes a roof arching over the UFC’s famous Octagon arena itself, but guests watching from the stands will not be fully covered.
Making matters worse, the hot and humid conditions, paired with the bright lights of a UFC fight, could attract swarms of bugs.
“This event is going to draw a big crowd,” University of Maryland entomologist Michael Raupp told Axios. “But guess what? There are going to be even more bugs joining.”
And the bugs will attract bats.
“If you have this banquet of small flying insects,” Raupp added, “the bats are going to say, ‘Oh, baby!'”
UFC boss Dana White has acknowledged that weather (and wildlife) could be an issue.
“The three big problems, as far as I am seeing right now, are rain, lightning and a ton of bugs,” White told The Hollywood Reporter last week, recalling a recent White House dinner where guests were bothered with “clusters” of gnats.
He added that’s he’s worked with his production team to prepare for these potential issues.
Fighters and commentators, including Joe Rogan, have also expressed their concerns about how the weather could impact the action in the Octagon.
“It’s at the White House, so you gotta deal with whatever you gotta deal with,” fighter Sean O’Malley, who is on the card for Sunday’s bout, told MMA Junkie. “That would suck to lose because of a reason outside of your skillset. May the best man win. If something plays a role because it’s outside and it affects the fight somehow, that would suck.”
Rogan, on an episode of his podcast, said: “The White House thing is odd. I don’t like it. I don’t like the idea of fighting outside at all. June and it’s D.C. and we looked it up, the last time, like last year, same day, was 100 degrees. That’s hot as f***. You add the lights. How about dehydration?”
Nonetheless, White has vowed the show will go on.
“I don’t care if it snows, rains, whatever, we’re going – and even lightning,” he told reporters on Tuesday. “You guys all played sports when you were growing up. Whenever there was lightning, you’d sit the lightning out, and then when it was over, you played. That’s what we’ll do. And if there would be lightning, we’d know it days before, and then we would work around it.”
A White House official told The Independent that “standard contingency plans for weather are in place to ensure the safety of the President and all patrons.”
“Ticketed guests will receive all event communication through UFC’s ticketmaster system,” the official added.
The Independent has contacted the UFC for comment.
The event, which coincides with the president’s 80th birthday, has been controversial throughout the planning process.
An federal lawsuit from the Public Integrity Project alleged the entire project is “deeply corrupt” because it gives the UFC “unfettered access” to a taxpayer-funded landmark, though a judge on Friday allowed the event to go forward.
The UFC says it is paying around $60 million to host the event, and that it will not make a profit off the fight.
The event is sponsored by corporations, however, including those with ties to the president and his family.
