How Washington got ready for a UFC fight, in photos

The South Lawn has hosted Easter egg rolls, state arrivals and countless presidential helicopter departures. This week, it got a fighting cage.

A massive arena now looms over the White House grounds, the iconic UFC octagon at its center, thousands of seats fanning out around it and rows of standing areas in the back. Down at the Ellipse, a giant stage with jumbotrons has been erected for an overflow watch party where tens of thousands of fans are expected to gather Sunday. Sponsors — Bud Light, Crypto.com, Polymarket, a nicotine pouch brand, a blockchain company, a grill manufacturer, a personal-injury law firm and more — line the rails of the ring.

And beside it all, partially obscured but impossible to miss: the construction site for a new East Wing ballroom — an ongoing project the White House would rather you not photograph. (At a walkthrough of the UFC setup on Thursday, one Secret Service officer made a reporter delete an iPhone photo of it on the spot.)

On Sunday, all of it comes to a head. UFC Freedom 250 — formally billed as a celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary, less formally as President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday party — will take place, with Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje headlining a card of fighters.

It is, by any measure, a strange thing to do to the White House. Here’s how it came together.

Wednesday, June 10

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira poses for photographs with two championship belts during the UFC Freedom 250 Media Day at the JW Marriott Hotel.

Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

No. 1 UFC heavyweight fighter Ciryl Gane answers questions during the UFC Freedom 250 Media Day at the JW Marriott Hotel.

Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria poses for photographs at the UFC Freedom 250 Media Day at the JW Marriott Hotel.

Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

Thursday, June 11

Construction continues on the UFC “Claw” and the octagon fighting ring on the South Lawn of the White House. Strobe lights lined along the “Claw” are expected to light up at night for a more dramatic look during the event. At the media preview of the arena, far-right commentator Jack Posobiec was heard saying: “It’s literally Vegas.”