WASHINGTON — It looks like a rollercoaster soaring above the White House.
But this isn’t a theme park.
The centerpiece of a make-shift UFC arena on the South Lawn of the White House took form on May 25 as construction crews installed a soaring 90-foot tall, open-air structure that stands out dramatically from most views of the building.
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Below the arc will be a 5,000-seat arena and octagon-shaped cage where UFC fighters will square off on June 14 ‒ a spectacle President Donald Trump has promised will be the “biggest event we’ve ever had at the White House.” The event falls on the president’s 80th birthday and Flag Day.
Construction on the massive White House overhaul to prepare for the UFC fight got underway last week. Trump has said an additional 75,000-100,000 spectators can watch the UFC event for free on large screens further away from the White House Ellipse. Trump met with UFC CEO Dana White, a close ally, on May 5 to discuss the planning.
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U.S. Army National Guard soldiers patrol nearby as construction is underway on a temporary arena that will host the UFC Freedom 250 fight card in June on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 26, 2026.
The temporary UFC arena has added to what’s suddenly become a crowded White House skyline as two construction cranes for Trump’s massive ballroom work on the east side of the White House campus.
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The UFC undertaking has forced Trump to cease temporarily cease travel on Marine One to and from the South Lawn and instead rely on motorcade to go back and forth to Joint Base Andrews, where the president boards Air Force One.
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The UFC fight is part of the administration’s year of celebrations to mark the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding.
A mock-up of the UFC structure going up at the White House was recently on display in Lititz, Pennsylvania.
Trump was joined in the White House on May 6 by UFC fighters Justin Gaethje and Ilia Topuria, who are facing off in the headliner fight, as well as Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane, who will compete in one of the other seven fights.
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“These are real warriors,” Trump said of the UFC fighters. “When we talk about warriors, these are warriors.”
Trump, an avid sports fan, often held boxing matches at his casinos during his real estate days in the 1980s and 1990s and sat ringside as the likes of Mike Tyson won their fights. In recent years, he’s frequently attended UFC fights, including on April 11 in Miami.
Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: UFC Freedom 250 arena soars high above White House
