Aerial view shows UFC octagon on White House South Lawn - AP Archive

[Rhiannon12866]

STORYLINE:
Water is continuing to fill the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which was painted blue by President Donald Trump, who plans to celebrate his upcoming birthday at the White House by hosting a UFC fight.

Crews are erecting an octagon-shaped cage on the South Lawn that will host Sunday's UFC bout, helping mark the nation's 250th anniversary — and President Donald Trump's 80th birthday.

Online renderings depict what the completed, wire-mesh-fence-ringed fight space is expected to look like ahead of the June 14 event.

It will be ringed by a red, white and blue stage under a towering arch featuring stars and stripes patterns and two large screens carrying the action live.

The cage and stage will themselves be surrounded by thousands of temporary seats, including ringside space for a full marching band that can set the entire scene to blaring music.

The project is part of a series of events celebrating the semiquincentennial of the Declaration of Independence's signing on July 4, 1776.

Other planned functions include an IndyCar race that will pass by the White House and the Great American State Fair taking place on the National Mall.

Trump has said that the finished UFC project will feature “a 5,000-seat arena right outside the front door of the White House.”

Additional large screens broadcasting the fights will be set up in a park at the nearby Ellipse, and the UFC has said it plans to issue as many as 85,000 free tickets to accommodate spectators at both locations.


++THUMBNAIL PHOTO++
STILL The Lincoln Memorial is seen in the distance as the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool continues to fill with water, ahead of the United States 250th anniversary, Sunday, June 7, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr., ID 26158642755623)


ASSOCIATED PRESS
Washington - 8 June 2026
1. Various of UFC Octagon fighting arena and screen set up on the South Lawn of the White House, as seen from the Washington Monument observation deck
2. Wide of construction around the White House and the Ellipse
3. Pan of construction on the Ellipse
4. Mid of construction vehicles and people walking through construction site
5. Various of sign on Ellipse reading (English) "UFC Freedom 250"
6. Various of construction areas on the Ellipse including vendor booths for Meta AI and Monster Energy
7. Various of Eisenhower Executive Office building with an America 250 flag as seen from the Washington Monument observation deck
8. Various aerial views of the reflecting pool, Lincoln Memorial, and WWII memorial as seen from the Washington Monument observation deck
9. Various aerial views of the U.S. Capitol building and the National Mall with construction for FIFA World Cup watch parties, as seen from the Washington Monument observation deck
10. Pan from U.S. Supreme Court to U.S. Capitol dome, as seen from the Washington Monument observation deck
11. Various of Lee House at Arlington National Cemetery, the memorial bridge, and the traffic circle where Trump's proposed Triumphal arch may be built
12. Various of the Kennedy Center, with Donald Trump's name visitble, as seen from the Washington Monument observation deck
13. Mid of the Institute of Peace

[mwmisses4289]

1. how ironic if the projected storms roll through early in the a.m. (say, before dawn)

and totally trash that thing. Wonder if that happens, will the right spin it as them dam libruls controlling the weather?

[Bayard]

2. That thing sure puts the Ugh in Ugly.