$60M and 7 federal agencies required to stage Trump's UFC fight at White
House
[June 11, 2026]
By JESSE BEDAYN
President Donald Trump's planned UFC fight on the White House's South
Lawn has required a monumental effort from more than seven federal
agencies, hundreds of staff working onsite daily and at least $60
million, according to a legal filing that offers a glimpse into the
preparations.
The event is part of the 250th anniversary of America’s founding, and is
scheduled for the weekend with the main attraction — seven mixed martial
arts matches — on Sunday.
That is, if a judge doesn't halt the proceedings, which is sought by two
Virginia residents in a federal lawsuit against the National Park
Service, which oversees the South Lawn.
The agency filed a rebuff of the request Tuesday in court, and, in it,
laid out the operations for the event.
“Well over $60 million and tens of thousands of hours of labor have been
expended,” the document read, adding that the money came from the UFC
and groups affiliated with it.
The Octagon
It's the eight-sided cage that surrounds the sometimes bloodied
combatants and sits at the center of the constructed arena on the South
Lawn.
The arena is expected to hold 4,000 spectators, with another 120,000
visitors — who swung tickets from an online lottery — anticipated to
watch from the nearby Ellipse.
The installation began May 20, and the Secret Service worked with the
UFC to screen between 20 and 30 trucks of equipment — as well as between
“700 and 900” staff — that came in daily for the installation.
The document did not specify the extent of government resources spent on
the project, but said seven agencies, including Homeland Security and
the Federal Aviation Administration, have “allocated significant
resources and manpower."
The schedule
It’ll kick off Saturday with a ceremonial weigh-in at the Ellipse,
followed by a concert by country musicians The Zac Brown Band.
A UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest will be ongoing through the weekend, with
“interactive experiences,” live shows, celebrity appearances, “exclusive
on-stage moments,” meet and greets, live music and interviews with the
athletes.
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Workers continue building the cage for a future UFC fight on the
South Lawn in front of the White House, Friday, June 5, 2026, in
Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
Sunday night is when the seven bouts kick off. At the close, Trump
is scheduled to fly to France for the G7 summit.
Disassembly of the installations will begin the next day, and they
are expected to be entirely removed by June 23.
The athletes' Epsom salt baths
There are 14 athletes competing, and their training is rigorous.
Preparations start months in advance, working toward more intense
weight cutting and diet alteration in the final week that can
include fasting, extreme sauna use and hot Epsom salt baths.
They could be shaving as many as 20 pounds before weigh-ins, which
are designed to keep the competition fair between similarly weighted
combatants.
Lawsuit calls it ‘corrupt’
It was filed Saturday by the Public Integrity Project on behalf of
the two Virginia residents and argues that Trump’s authorization of
the event violated National Park Service regulations prohibiting
sporting events on federal parklands.
One of the attorneys, Brendan Ballou, characterized it as a “corrupt
use of our most sacred national monuments for private gain."
The National Park Service pushed back on that claim, but also
detailed the event's preparations to make a point.
“All these hopes could be dashed at the very last moment," it read,
"by the whim of two people who believe they have superior taste and
want to spoil the event for everyone else.”
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