Washington — A federal judge on Friday rejected a long-shot effort to block the Ultimate Fighting Championship event set to take place at the White House this weekend.
U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta declined to grant emergency relief to two Washington, D.C., residents who sought a court order stopping the UFC event. The D.C. residents, Susan Douglas and Paul Romano, filed their lawsuit six days ago, alleging that the upcoming mixed martial arts fights violated restrictions related to events on White House grounds and that the structure, known as the Claw, that was built for the fights was constructed unlawfully.
But Mehta said the plaintiffs failed to establish that they would be harmed by the events and were unlikely to show that they had the legal right to sue, a concept known as standing.
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The “UFC Freedom 250” event is set to take place on the South Lawn of the White House on Sunday, President Trump’s 80th birthday, as part of a series of events taking place in celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary.
For the mixed martial arts event, crews have spent the past three weeks constructing the Claw, a 92-foot-tall structure that will house the Octagon. In addition to seven fights set for Sunday, “UFC Freedom 250” also includes several smaller events that begin Friday with a press conference and face-offs between fighters at the Lincoln Memorial. A ceremonial weigh-in for the 14 fighters and a performance by the Zac Brown Band, a country music group, are set for Saturday at the UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest on the Ellipse.
The White House expects roughly 4,000 people to attend the UFC fights on the South Lawn, while an estimated 12,000 spectators are expected to watch from the Ellipse. The event is being broadcast on Paramount+, which is owned by Paramount Skydance, the parent company of CBS News.
In filings with the court, the White House described the massive effort to set up and execute the weekend’s UFC event. More than 700 subcontractors were hired to help with construction, and the White House and U.S. Secret Service cleared more than 2,000 people to participate in the “UFC Freedom 250” event and broadcast, according to Andrew Fischer, director for White House Management and Administration.
UFC and its affiliates have spent more than $60 million in preparation for the weekend, he said.
