White House hosting "UFC Freedom 250" fight on Trump's 80th birthday tonight
CBS News • • sports
Key Points:
- The White House will host UFC Freedom 250 on Sunday for the first time in U.S. history, coinciding with the nation's 250th anniversary and President Trump's 80th birthday, featuring a main lightweight championship bout between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje.
- The event will take place on the White House South Lawn with about 5,000 guests, including military members, and will be streamed on Paramount+ starting at 8 p.m. ET, following earlier fights at 5 p.m. ET.
- The setup includes a 92-foot star-spangled rigging called the "Claw," which will be dismantled after the event, and the event has faced a lawsuit from two Virginians claiming unlawful access to the White House, but a judge declined to block the fight.
- Topuria enters the fight undefeated at 17-0 and is favored, while Gaethje, considered the underdog, seeks his first undisputed UFC title; the fighters have exchanged personal insults publicly ahead of the bout.
- The UFC event is part of broader 250th-anniversary celebrations organized by Freedom 250, a Trump-aligned group, including other events like the Great American State Fair and the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C.