UPDATE, 8:35 p.m. PT: One UFC fighter surprised the crowd at the White House, shouting “Michelle Obama is a man, am I right America.”
Josh Hokit had just defeated Derrick Lewis in the fourth bout. He made the remarks in his post-match interview in the ring conducted by Joe Rogan.
He also presented Donald Trump with his chain.
Meanwhile, there is criticism of Paramount for putting the event not on its broadcast network, CBS, but its subscription streaming service, Paramount+.
Clay Travis, who testified before Congress last week on the migration of formerly free sports events on broadcast TV to paid streaming, posted on X, “So Dana White said the White House fight should be free on CBS. You know Trump wanted the fight for the biggest audience possible. So who at CBS insisted a fight from a taxpayer building be on PPV? And how am I the only person in all of media even asking the question?”
PREVIOUSLY: Paramount CEO David Ellison and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg are among those attending the UFC event at the White House, a guest list that also includes Vice President JD Vance and much of the the president’s cabinet.
Trump himself is sitting ringside next to UFC’s Dana White. At one point, per a pool report, Zuckerberg walked up to Trump and had a conversation with him during a break in the matches.
Also spotted on Paramout+ shaking Trump’s hand: Ari Emanuel. Joe Rogan has been at the event to offer commentary for the streamer’s coverage.
The storms seemed to have missed downtown D.C., and veered to the north and the south in the region.
PREVIOUSLY: Donald Trump and UFC’s Dana White walked from the Oval Office along the colonnade to the “claw,” signaling that the championship fights at the White House are set to begin even as the threat of thunderstorms remains a concern.
The matches are expected to start at 9 p.m., before a crowd that is to include Vice President JD Vance and a host of cabinet members. Among those also present: FCC Chairman Brendan Carr. Last year, Carr signed off on Skydance’s acquisition of Paramount, home of Paramount+, which is streaming the event exclusively, with subscriptions starting at $8.99 a month.
The event also featured a 12-jet flyover during the National Anthem, bringing a ground stop to Washington National Airport nearby.
Per a pool report, Trump is cage-side, on the western part of the octagon. It’s all part of a massive structure built on the South Lawn of the White House.
The event was pushed back by about an hour as the region was put under a severe thunderstorm watch.
Earlier, hundreds of members of the military, all in uniform, lined up in extensive security checkpoints, as a big block of tickets were reserved for those on active duty. There was heavy security, even for a companion watch part on the Ellipse, and many streets have been shut down in the blocks around the White House.
In a highly unusual arrangement, the UFC has been handling much of the ticket access to the event, not the White House itself.
PREVIOUSLY: The UFC is telling attendees to “plan accordingly” as the D.C. region was put under a severe thunderstorm watch until 11 p.m., weather that has added a new level of uncertainty to the unprecedented championship fights scheduled to take place on the South Lawn.
“We anticipate inclement weather in the area, so attendees should plan accordingly,” the UFC announced. “We will share additional information when available.”
Capital Weather said that the “main timeframe in and around Beltway looks like 6-10 pm. Dangerous lightning, scattered wind gusts to around 70 mph, and isolated hail or a brief tornado all possible.”
Paramount+ is planning to start its streamcast of the event starting at 8 p.m. ET, with the fights themselves pushed back to 9 p.m.. But particularly with lightning, safety is a major concern of it starting on time. Storms are fairly typical in D.C. at the end of a day of high heat and humidity.
The event is tied to the 250th anniversary of the United States, but it is also taking place on Donald Trump’s 80th birthday. He is scheduled to arrive at the makeshift arena, constructed under a giant, Vegas-lit overhang known as “the claw,” starting at 7:45 p,m. ET, after attending a VIP reception.
Organizers said that $60 million already has been spent on the event, according to a court filing last week. About 4,000 guests are expected on the South Lawn, and tens of thousands were anticipated at a watch party on the Ellipse.
Paramount paid $7.7 billion to the rights to the UFC in a seven year deal last year. Its CEO, David Ellison, is expected to be a guest at Sunday evening’s event, per The New York Times, just two days after the Justice Department cleared its $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.
The White House appears to be especially sensitive to the prospect of a rain out.
Earlier on Sunday, The Weather Channel posted on X, “UFC Freedom 250 is facing a chaotic weather setup on the White House South Lawn, with a 60% chance of thunderstorms, heavy downpours, and wind gusts up to 34 mph threatening to delay the outdoor fights. On top of the storm risk, brutal D.C. humidity is driving a triple-digit heat.”
The White House Rapid Response account replied, This event is about celebrating America’s unmatched greatness after 250 years — which apparently doesn’t sit well with the friendless loser who wrote this bullshit clickbait headline. Rain or shine, we’re celebrating our great country no matter what. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”