Will UFC Put On Another Fight At The White House? Dana White Responds

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During a press conference following UFC Freedom 250 at the White House, Dana White addressed the idea of putting on future fights at the White House. Here, Diego Lopes can be seen standing on the edge of the Octagon after his UFC Freedom 250 victory. (Photo: UFC / X)

On June 14, the White House was the backdrop for an event like no other, as 4,300 people sat on the South Lawn to watch a UFC fight.

Even beyond the White House lawn, at the Ellipse, another 60,000 are reported to have stood to watch the fight on screens.

While streaming viewership numbers have not yet been released for the event, dubbed UFC Freedom 250, the fight night went off without a hitch, with UFC CEO Dana White being quick to celebrate the night as a success, saying it was the “fight of the year.”

The night was full of patriotic fervor, as well as surprises — including a massive upset in the main event.

Even President Donald Trump praised the event, which coincided with his 80th birthday, writing on Truth Social in the morning of June 15 as he traveled to the G7 Summit:

“The UFC at the White House last night was incredible … Most people have never seen anything like that kind of human speed and power before. The White House has never looked more beautiful. The setting was unsurpassed! Congratulations to Dana White, and his unbelievable UFC. One of the most exciting days in the History of our fabled White House!”

However, the question remains: will this become the first of many UFC fights at the White House?

RELATED: Nation Celebrates 250 Years With UFC Spectacle At White House

Dana White Addresses Subject Of Future UFC Fights At The White House

Asked in a post-fight press conference about how the event went in his estimation, Dana White stated that it was a triumph “in every way that you can gauge success.”

Dana went on to say that merch sales were more than double any other UFC event and the $60 million budget for UFC Freedom 250 was exceeded by 40%.

“I just got off the phone with [CEO of Paramount] David Ellison, he’s going crazy, I mean, out the gates from the first fight, the fight exceeded all their expectations,” Dana stated. “It was monstrous tonight. Monstrous.”

Adding that he will allow for Paramount to release its own statement regarding the success and viewership of the evening, Dana remarked of Ellison, “You don’t get calls from billionaires flipping out too often.”

Even as the fight faced potential bad weather, with plans established for a rain delay that never materialized, Dana noted that the fight went on uninterrupted as the storm seemingly “split … around the White House.”

Dana was even unbothered by the lawsuit that was leveled, and ultimately rejected, against the Trump administration that threatened to prevent UFC Freedom 250 from happening at all.

When asked about his feeling about the event compared to other UFC fights, he started by mentioning it in comparison to the 2024 fight at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Then, he addressed if there will be another fight at the White House, saying, “It was an amazing experience. This was a one-of-one that will never happen again.”

He added, “For all of us that were involved, from the fighters to my staff to the media to, you know, their families and everybody, this was a unique, cool experience.”

Pressed further on the potential for future fights at the White House, Dana replied, “I can’t afford it. There’s no f****** way we can do this again — I’ll never do the Sphere again and I’ll never do this again.”

See White’s response about doing another fight at the White House, here (foul language, included):

Watch the full post-fight press conference, here:

Youtube video

RELATED: Zac Brown Delivers Powerful National Anthem Performance At Historic UFC Freedom 250 Event

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About the Author

Grant Bromley

Howdy, I’m Grant, a multimedia storyteller and lover of the arts. Whether it’s Copland’s ballet Rodeo or Peckinpah’s iconic Western Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, I have an appreciation for works that engage with the American mythos. Covering news, I help tell the stories that define our shared tomorrow.

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