Construction has officially begun ahead of a UFC fight set to take place outside the White House. The Ultimate Fighting Championship is set to be staged outside the Presidential residence this summer to celebrate both America's 250th birthday and Donald Trump's upcoming birthday.
Construction Underway
Cranes were spotted outside the White House this weekend as workers installed a massive lighting rig. Trump also shared a rendering of what the fighting ring will look like, surrounded by red, white and blue lights.
Fight Details
The fight, set to be held on June 14 for Trump's birthday, will feature a scrap between lightweight champion Ilia Topuria and interim champion Justin Gaethje. There are reportedly 4,000 seats available to witness the fight in person, but screenings in nearby parks will allow '75,000 people' to watch the event, Trump claimed.
While the UFC has been staged all over the world, this marks the first time that it has been hosted in the seat of power. Last year, Trump shared an AI image that shows the eight-sided cage in front of the White House.
250th Anniversary Celebrations
The United States of America is marking 250 years since it declared independence from Britain on July 4, 1776. This year's celebrations will be very different from the bicentennial in 1976, which saw freedom trains, cultural programmes and a massive fireworks display outside the White House.
In addition to the UFC fight, Trump also wants to mint $1 coins with his face on them, which is in violation of an 1866 law that bans a living person from appearing on US currency. Furthermore, a brand new 'Independence Arch', already nicknamed the 'Arc de Trump', is planned. Trump hopes to build a 250ft arc in the style of the famous Arc de Triomphe in Paris, one foot for each year America has existed.
He shared renderings of the potential arc on Truth Social, with initial renderings showing it would be just half the size of the towering Washington Monument, which is 555ft tall. 'The Arch is going to be one of the most iconic landmarks not only in Washington, D.C., but throughout the world,' White House spokesman Davis Ingle told CNN.
There are also hopes to transform the historic National Mall into a race track, passing the Supreme Court and the Lincoln Memorial.
