Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Attempting To Block UFC White House Event

A federal judge has cleared the final legal obstacle standing between the UFC and Sunday night on the White House lawn.

U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta dismissed the lawsuit on Friday after plaintiffs Susan Douglas and Paul Romano sought an emergency injunction to halt UFC Freedom 250, arguing the event would improperly commercialise public space and cause damage to landmarks including the South Lawn and the Lincoln Memorial, where Friday's press conference is scheduled to take place. Mehta was unconvinced on every count.

"Because Plaintiffs fail to establish both a substantial likelihood of standing and irreparable harm, and because the equities and public interest weigh against emergency relief, Plaintiffs' Emergency Application for a Temporary Restraining Order or, in the Alternative, an Expedited Preliminary Injunction, is denied," the judge wrote.

"The public has known that the White House would be hosting a UFC fight event since President Trump first announced it in July 2025," Mehta wrote. "Equipment and materials for the event began arriving at the White House around May 20, 2026 and construction of the Claw began six days later. Plaintiffs, however, waited until June 7, 2026 — more than two weeks after visible preparations commenced at the White House — to seek emergency relief."

UFC Freedom 250 proceeds as scheduled. The card kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, airing live on Paramount+, with Ilia Topuria defending against Justin Gaethje in the lightweight title unification main event and Alex Pereira facing Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight belt in the co-main. Tens of thousands of ticketholders are expected on the South Lawn and at the Ellipse, where additional screens will broadcast the action to spectators who could not get inside the arena.