UFC Holds White House Event, White Says Financial Recovery Needed Before Repeating

UFC staged its Freedom 250 event on the South Lawn of the White House on Sunday night. Every fight on the card ended in a stoppage, and Justin Gaethje upset Ilia Topuria to win the lightweight title in the main event. A federal judge ruled Friday that the event could proceed after an injunction lawsuit failed.

The card went ahead despite earlier weather concerns that included hail, wind and lightning in the Washington area. m. Monday that the promotion hit the financial numbers it sought for the $60 million production.

White estimated that 200,000 people attended a two-day fan fest on the Ellipse. He said the event was held to mark America's 250th birthday and that he loves the country. White stated that UFC Freedom 250 was a one-of-one event.

He said he cannot afford to repeat it and will never do the event again. White said he does not want to stage more outdoor fights because of uncontrollable variables such as weather. He added that he and President Donald Trump discussed holding a fight for troops in 2027, but White told the president he needs a year to recover financially before staging another such event.

Frank Fertitta attended the fights on Sunday. White said he had reflected on the promotion's path in recent conversations with the Fertitta brothers, who helped launch the UFC. White said he pushed back against critics who questioned holding the event at federal landmarks.

He stated he did not care about the lawsuit that sought to block the card.