Judge rejects bid to block UFC event at the White House

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by two Washington, D.C., residents attempting to halt an Ultimate Fighting Championship event scheduled for the White House.

U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled Friday that the plaintiffs, Susan Douglas and Paul Romano, did not demonstrate sufficient harm or legal standing to challenge the event. The lawsuit, filed just six days prior, claimed the mixed martial arts fights and the "Claw" structure built for it violated White House event restrictions and were constructed illegally.

The "UFC Freedom 250" event is slated for the South Lawn on Sunday, coinciding with President Trump's 80th birthday and the nation's 250th anniversary. Preparations have been extensive, involving over 700 subcontractors and significant investment from UFC, exceeding $60 million. The event includes multiple smaller activities starting Friday, with a press conference and fighter face-offs at the Lincoln Memorial, followed by a ceremonial weigh-in and a Zac Brown Band performance on Saturday at the UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest.

White House officials, including Andrew Fischer, director for White House Management and Administration, detailed the massive logistical effort. Over 2,000 individuals were cleared by the White House and Secret Service for participation in the event and its broadcast. The event is expected to draw approximately 4,000 spectators to the South Lawn and an estimated 12,000 from the Ellipse. Paramount+ is broadcasting the event.

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The plaintiffs failed to establish that they would be harmed by the events and were unlikely to show that they had the legal right to sue, a concept known as standing.