Trump stages 7 UFC fights on White House lawn on 80th birthday
What's new: A judge let the event proceed after a legal challenge, and UFC says it spent more than $60 million without expecting profit.
President Donald Trump is hosting seven UFC bouts on the White House South Lawn on Sunday, turning his 80th birthday into a made-for-television spectacle tied to the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations. The event, branded “UFC Freedom 250,” features 14 fighters competing in a specially built Octagon inside a 92-foot venue called “The Claw” before about 4,000 attendees. The card comes as Trump faces criticism over blending a private sports promotion with the presidency during the war with Iran and rising consumer prices. A federal judge rejected an effort to stop the event on June 12. UFC has said it covered the full cost, estimated at more than $60 million, and that it does not expect to profit.