U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to celebrate his 80th birthday next year with a martial arts cage fight on the White House lawn.
Speaking during an event in Virginia on Sunday, Trump said the celebration—scheduled for June 14—will feature a special edition of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
The UFC is the world’s largest mixed martial arts (MMA) organization, known for its intense, full-contact bouts that combine techniques from boxing, wrestling, kickboxing, and other martial arts. Unlike professional wrestling, UFC fights are not choreographed and often result in bloodshed or knockouts.
UFC President Dana White, a longtime Trump ally and loyal supporter who openly campaigned for him, is reportedly leading the organization of the event. Trump, a well-known fan of the sport, has attended several UFC fights over the years.
Although Trump did not specify why his milestone birthday was chosen for the occasion, the White House had in September released mock-ups showing a UFC-style octagon set up on the South Lawn, surrounded by grandstands and floodlights.
According to White, the UFC will spend about $700,000 to restore the lawn after the event. The fighters’ weigh-in—a signature face-off ritual—is expected to take place on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, roughly two kilometres from the White House.
Built over a century ago, the memorial will serve as a symbolic and dramatic backdrop for what’s being dubbed “Trump’s Birthday Brawl.”