Judge rejects bid to block UFC event at the White House

Washington — A federal judge on Friday rejected a long-shot effort to block the Ultimate Fighting Championship event set to take place at the White House this weekend.

U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta declined to grant emergency relief to two Washington, D.C., residents who sought a court order stopping the UFC event. The D.C. residents, Susan Douglas and Paul Romano, filed their lawsuit six days ago, alleging that the upcoming mixed martial arts fight violated restrictions related to events on White House grounds and that the structure, known as the Claw, that was built for the fight was constructed unlawfully.

But Mehta said the plaintiffs failed to establish that they would be harmed by the events and were unlikely to show that they had the legal right to sue, a concept known as standing.

The “UFC Freedom 250” event is set to take place on the South Lawn of the White House on Sunday, President Trump’s birthday, as part of a series of events taking place in celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary. 

For the mixed martial arts event, crews have spent the past three weeks constructing the Claw, a 92-foot-tall structure that will house the Octagon. In addition to the fights set for Sunday, “UFC Freedom 250” also includes several smaller events that begin Friday with a press conference and face-offs between fighters at the Lincoln Memorial.

The White House expects roughly 4,000 people to attend the UFC event on the South Lawn, while an estimated 12,000 spectators are expected to watch from the Ellipse. The event is being broadcast on Paramount+, which is owned by Paramount Skydance, the parent company of CBS News.