Construction is underway to build a temporary structure on the White House South Lawn for the June 14 UFC event.

June 14 is also Flag Day and President Trump’s 80th birthday.

The event will commemorate America’s 250th birthday celebration.

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Tickets are not listed for the 8 p.m. event, which will be available to watch on Paramount+, according to the UFC Freedom 250 website.

Crews have already started assembling the semi-circular structure on the lawn just behind the octagon and stands for people to watch. The structure was made in Pennsylvania and shipped to D.C.

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Dana White, the CEO of the UFC, said he plans to keep the White House the backdrop for every fight.

The South Lawn will be able to seat about 5,000 people, but an overflow crowd will be able to watch the event on giant screens set up on The Ellipse, a large lawn area near the White House sometimes referred to as the “President’s Park South.”

The UFC Freedom 250 event will begin Friday, June 12, with a press conference at the Lincoln Memorial. A fan fest and Zac Brown Band concert will be held Saturday, June 13, at The Ellipse.

“History in the making,” UFC stated on its X account.

“New visuals for #UFCWhiteHouse and the UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest are here!” it added.

Watch UFC CEO Dana White discuss the upcoming event:

USA TODAY shared further:

White says UFC and it’s parent company TKO Group Holdings are picking up the tab. TKO president Mark Shapiro acknowledged on a financial call that the cost is a “moving target” expected to exceed $60 million. The promotion does not expect to turn a profit, but is counting on roughly $30 million in corporate sponsorships to offset expected losses. While the UFC is covering the restoration of the South Lawn after the event, it is not covering the cost for security, which will be significant. That will be coordinated between the Secret Service and local law enforcement at the tax payers’ expense.

The card is headlined by Georgian-Spanish lightweight champion Ilia Topuria, who is putting his belt on the line against interim champion Justin Gaethje of Safford, Arizona. Alex Pereira of Brazil faces France’s Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title in the co-main event. Sean O’Malley takes on Canada’s Aiemann Zahabi in a bantamweight bout. Weigh-ins will be held at the Lincoln Memorial.

 

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