President Donald Trump will host a Ultimate Fighting Championship event on the White House lawn on June 14, combining his 80th birthday celebration with the nation's 250th anniversary commemoration.

Crews will construct a 6-foot wire-mesh octagon on the White House grounds where UFC fighters will compete using mixed martial arts techniques including kickboxing, wrestling, and jujitsu. The event will deviate from UFC's typical Saturday schedule, taking place on a Sunday and broadcasting live on Paramount+.

UFC President Dana White, a longtime Trump associate, will oversee construction of a 5,000-seat arena near the White House entrance, with eight large screens in a nearby park for additional ticket holders. The organization plans to distribute 85,000 free tickets for the event. France reportedly adjusted its Group of Seven summit schedule to avoid conflicts with Trump's birthday festivities.

The fight card features two championship bouts: Brazil's Alex Periera facing France's Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title, and Spain-Georgia's Ilia Topuria competing against Justin Gaethje for the lightweight championship. However, some prominent fighters including former champion Jon Jones and Conor McGregor will not participate.

Trump has maintained close ties with UFC since the early 2000s, when he hosted events at his Atlantic City casino. He became the first sitting president to attend a UFC show in 2019 and has regularly appeared at fights throughout his political career. The sport has grown significantly in popularity, particularly among male demographics, since signing a major media deal with ESPN in 2018.

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung described the event as "one of the greatest and most historic sports events in history" and "a testament to [Trump's] vision to celebrate America's monumental 250th anniversary." The event represents an unprecedented use of White House grounds for a commercial sporting event.