Judge rejects bid to block UFC event at the White House

Washington — A national justice connected Friday rejected a long-shot effort to artifact the Ultimate Fighting Championship lawsuit acceptable to instrumentality spot astatine the White House this weekend.

U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta declined to grant exigency alleviation to 2 Washington, D.C., residents who sought a tribunal bid stopping the UFC event. The D.C. residents, Susan Douglas and Paul Romano, filed their suit six days ago, alleging that the upcoming mixed martial arts fights violated restrictions related to events connected White House grounds and that the structure, known arsenic the Claw, that was built for the fights was constructed unlawfully.

But Mehta said the plaintiffs failed to found that they would beryllium harmed by the events and were improbable to amusement that they had the ineligible close to sue, a conception known arsenic standing.

The UFC octagon warring enclosure connected the South Lawn of the White House successful Washington, D.C., connected June 11, 2026. Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

The "UFC Freedom 250" lawsuit is acceptable to instrumentality spot connected the South Lawn of the White House connected Sunday, President Trump's 80th birthday, arsenic portion of a bid of events taking spot successful solemnisation of the nation's 250th anniversary. 

For the mixed martial arts event, crews person spent the past 3 weeks constructing the Claw, a 92-foot-tall operation that volition location the Octagon. In summation to 7 fights acceptable for Sunday, "UFC Freedom 250" besides includes respective smaller events that statesman Friday with a property league and face-offs betwixt fighters astatine the Lincoln Memorial. A ceremonial weigh-in for the 14 fighters and a show by the Zac Brown Band, a state euphony group, are acceptable for Saturday astatine the UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest connected the Ellipse.

The White House expects astir 4,000 radical to be the UFC fights connected the South Lawn, portion an estimated 12,000 spectators are expected to ticker from the Ellipse. The lawsuit is being broadcast connected Paramount+, which is owned by Paramount Skydance, the genitor institution of CBS News.

In filings with the court, the White House described the monolithic effort to acceptable up and execute the weekend's UFC event. More than 700 subcontractors were hired to assistance with construction, and the White House and U.S. Secret Service cleared much than 2,000 radical to enactment successful the "UFC Freedom 250" lawsuit and broadcast, according to Andrew Fischer, manager for White House Management and Administration.

UFC and its affiliates person spent much than $60 cardinal successful mentation for the weekend, helium said.