UFC at White House caps America's 250th with blood and spectacle

A seven-bout UFC Fight Night card unfolded on the White House's South Lawn on Sunday as part of America's 250th anniversary celebration, complete with Octagon girls in red-white-and-blue, a 160-piece Marine band, and blood on the mat steps from the Oval Office. ESPN's Dan Wetzel, covering the event, described the scene as both "ludicrous" and "wonderful," calling it a spectacle that managed to "thrill and enrage various segments of the populace" in equal measure.

Roughly 1,000 active-duty military members filled the temporary stands, bringing energy to a crowd otherwise heavy on suits and senators. The card ran past 1 a.m. after weather delays, but every bout ended with a violent stoppage. Justin Gaethje closed the night by winning the lightweight title as a 6-1 underdog. "I'm from America," Gaethje said afterward, per ESPN. "Two hundred and fifty years ago, we were way more than 6-1 underdogs."

Why the UFC chose the White House lawn

UFC CEO Dana White insisted the event had no political agenda despite President Trump's cageside presence. "I love this country," White said at the postfight presser. "This event was for America's 250th anniversary. I believe if you are an American, no matter where you sit politically, tonight was a proud night." He admitted the conditions were imperfect but joked that there was "just enough wind to keep the bugs off."

The setting drew sharp reactions. Wetzel noted that some will always see the UFC as crass, pointing to a crude postgame comment from one fighter that reinforced that view. Others recoiled at the idea of cage fighting overshadowing the day's diplomatic work, which included active war negotiations. A 92-foot staging claw loomed over the South Lawn where garden tours normally pass.

White called it a "very unique, fun fight that we will never experience again." The UFC estimates 80,000 attended a watch party across the street at the Ellipse. The next UFC Fight Night card is scheduled for June 28 in Las Vegas.

Source: espn.com