The massive UFC ring that President Donald Trump ordered to celebrate his birthday — and the 250th anniversary of the nation — is now towering over the White House.
Construction began last week ahead of UFC Freedom 250, which will be held at the White House on June 14 to honor the nation’s 250th birthday and Trump’s 80th.
UFC on Paramount +, which will stream the six bouts, shared a first look at the massive UFC Octagon getting built directly in front of the People’s House.
The ginormous, outdoor fighting ring is decorated patriotically, with an American flag graphic stretching over its enormous arches. The image also showed a raised stage and seating area being built with views of the president’s mansion.
The ring is being built directly in front of the Executive Mansion, obscuring a typically clear view of the historic residence. Large light rigs have also been added on either side of the White House to help showcase the event.
“An updated look at the South Lawn ahead of UFC Freedom 250,” the streamer wrote on X.
Ahead of the construction, Trump boasted that the upcoming UFC palooza would be “the greatest show on Earth,” alongside a group of UFC fighters set to participate in the bouts.
UFC Freedom 250’s main event will be between lightweight champion Ilia Topuria and interim champion Justin Gaethje.
Topuria thanked Trump, who is friends with UFC president Dana White, for the “opportunity to build the biggest event in sports history” while at the White House earlier this month.
Gaethje told the president at the Oval Office, “It’s truly an honor. It’s awesome. It’s your birthday. Awesome. It’s Flag Day. Wonderful to represent this country.”
Trump said that there would be 4,000 seats on the South Lawn for the fight, and there would be a screening of it “in the park right across the street,” referring to Lafayette Park.
The president said that park will be able to hold “anywhere from 75,000 to 100,000 people,” to take in the event, which will be free to attend.
UFC is paying for the event, and sponsorship packages that include ringside tickets to the fight have been selling for $1 million or more, a Republican lobbyist familiar with the matter told NBC News in an article published earlier this month.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon is trying to recruit U.S. troops to attend the event, requiring that service members pay for their tickets — and meet certain physical fitness requirements.
Air Force troops considering taking up the offer were told they must meet the “CURRENT WAIST-HEIGHT RATIO and current physical fitness standard,” according to a memo obtained by The Washington Post.
The effort has reportedly focused on getting service members from across the different branches of the military, pulled from the junior enlisted and officer corps.
The troops will be required to wear their short-sleeve dress uniforms, sources told the paper.
