Two days before seven fights are due to unfold on the White House South Lawn, the protagonists shared a stage at the Lincoln Memorial on Friday night, trading jibes against a backdrop of uncertainty. The historic event, branded UFC Freedom 250, coincides with the 80th birthday of US President Donald Trump, a close friend of UFC chief Dana White.
But the card, headlined by Ilia Topuria’s lightweight title defence against American Justin Gaethje, is threatened by inclement weather. Forecasts show a 60% chance of rain on fight night, with the downpour predicted to begin two hours before the broadcast. Lightning has also been forecast to enshroud the American capital, forcing the UFC to draw up contingency plans.
“Dana White vows UFC Freedom 250 will go ahead despite 60% rain risk as fighters trade insults at Lincoln Memorial press conference.”
White, however, was defiant. “Listen, the show goes on on Sunday, no matter what happens,” he said at the press conference. “I’m sick and tired of hearing about all the weather now, and all the other bulls*** surrounding this event. WE ARE FIGHTING ON SUNDAY NIGHT ON THE WHITE HOUSE LAWN, no matter what!”
When asked about the lightning risk, he drew on childhood experience. “You guys all played sports when you were growing up. Whenever there was lightning, you’d sit the lightning out, and then when it was over, you played. That’s what we’ll do. And if there would be lightning, we’d know it days before, and then we would work around it.”
The UFC’s Head of Production, Craig Borsari, outlined a more measured approach. “We have a few options,” he said. “One is to stay on air and we do have contingency planning where we can remain and continue to broadcast from a location close by the South Lawn, and if we feel like a weather pattern’s coming in that will pass through and we can resume, we will. So we would not leave the broadcast, we would just fill and report from site. It’s a bit of an evaluation, so when we’re going through that we’ll be talking regularly to a meteorologist who is right now on site giving us updates.”
White also promised enhanced bonuses for the event, though he spluttered through his words, making it hard to understand; it sounded like $400,000 for certain fighters. Each fighter who took the stage was accompanied by a different young fan.
The main event pits Topuria against Gaethje after fierce insults this week. Topuria was blunt: “He can prove me wrong. I feel that I’m the best. If you think that I’m not, prove me wrong if you can. But I have my doubts. I know that I’m gonna take his lights out in the first round.” Gaethje countered: “This guy is one of the best in the world, but I have fought the best of the best. I’m gonna use that experience to be great. I trust in my abilities, and fighting is crazy, so I’m gonna put it on the line.”
In the co-main event, Alex Pereira faces Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight belt. Other fights include Sean O’Malley vs Aiemann Zahabi, Derrick Lewis vs Josh Hokit, Mauricio Ruffy vs Michael Chandler, and Diego Lopes vs Steve Garcia. Garcia, a lesser-known name, talked up his background in a video package as a prime example of the American Dream.
With lightning a real possibility and the entire card at risk of grinding to a halt if a storm comes within eight miles of the Oval Office, Sunday’s unprecedented show hangs in the balance – but White is refusing to back down.