A UFC showdown on the White House lawn? President Donald Trump on Thursday floated just such an audacious plan, intending to host a mixed martial arts fight with a crowd of over 20,000 to celebrate 250 years of American independence. Trump unveiled the idea while speaking in Iowa, where he kicked off a yearlong series of celebrations leading up to the nation’s semiquincentennial on July 4, 2026.
“We have a lot of land there,” said Trump, a UFC enthusiast who has attended several of its mixed martial arts matches in recent months and is close friends with Dana White, the league`s president.
In addition to the proposed UFC extravaganza, Trump announced plans for a grand festival on the National Mall in Washington, as well as a nationwide athletic contest featuring standout high school athletes from across the country. A White House spokesperson, however, offered no further clarification, stating only that they had no additional details beyond the former president’s remarks.
“So every one of our national parks, battlefields and historic sites are going to have special events in honour of America 250. And I even think we`re going to have a UFC fight,” Trump said. “Think of this on the grounds of the White House. We have a lot of land there.”
Trump’s enthusiasm for the UFC is well documented. His latest appearance cageside came at UFC 316 in New Jersey, held at the Prudential Center, where he watched Merab Dvalishvili successfully defend his bantamweight crown.
Dvalishvili secured a third-round submission win over Sean O’Malley, having previously captured the title at UFC 306 in a groundbreaking event at The Sphere in Las Vegas, where he bested O’Malley by unanimous decision.
Although there has been no formal confirmation regarding a UFC card on the White House grounds in 2026, the notion remains within the realm of possibility. Trump shares a close rapport with UFC president Dana White, a relationship that has often brought the worlds of politics and combat sports together. The UFC itself boasts a storied tradition of staging high-profile events not only throughout the United States but also on prominent international stages.
