UFC Freedom 250 fight event at White House - Trump hosts and watches cage-side
CNN • • sports
Key Points:
- UFC CEO Dana White hailed the White House UFC fight night as a major success aimed at unity rather than politics, with plans discussed for a future event for the troops.
- The event featured notable upsets, including Justin Gaethje winning the lightweight championship and Ciryl Gane capturing the interim heavyweight belt, with President Trump attending cage-side.
- The event saw a heavy security presence and drew high-profile guests such as Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison, amid ongoing controversy over a major media merger approved by the Trump administration.
- Trump’s family was prominently present, and the event coincided with the promotion of expensive commemorative gold and silver coins branded with Trump and UFC imagery, reflecting the family's efforts to monetize the spectacle.
- UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland was removed from the event after causing a disturbance, and Trump was briefly seen smiling after a fighter made a false and offensive remark about Michelle Obama during a post-fight speech.
