Source: Fortune.com
Summary
President Donald Trump is hosting a UFC event, UFC Freedom 250, on the South Lawn of the White House to celebrate his 80th birthday and the nation’s 250th anniversary. The event, which will be streamed on Paramount+, features a seven-bout card, including a fight for the interim UFC heavyweight title. Despite some criticism, the event is expected to draw a large crowd, with up to 120,000 fans watching in the open air at the Ellipse. The event has been promoted as a unique experience, with fighters training in front of the Washington Monument and a news conference at the Lincoln Memorial.
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The announcement sounds familiar.
The UFC Freedom 250 is a $60 million-plus show that has been years in the making. President Trump has been a long-time fan of cage fighting and has attended numerous UFC events. The event has been promoted as a unique experience, but some fans have criticized the card as underwhelming. Despite this, the event is expected to draw a large crowd and drive subscriptions to Paramount+. The true star of the show is the unprecedented setting, with a cage constructed on the traditional site of the Easter egg roll.
As one observer noted, “It’s just another day for Trump, who is still navigating a war with Iran, attended the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, and boasted about his love of soaring inflation.”
The event has been used to drive subscriptions on Paramount+, which is controlled by the Ellison family, close allies of Trump. The deal is part of a $7.7 billion, seven-year agreement.
As one commentator said, “The show will go on for UFC, but the real fight is for the attention of the American people.”
And as another observer noted, “The president’s love of cage fighting is only matched by his love of being the center of attention.”
