UFC Starts Construction at White House South Lawn for Freedom 250

Construction for UFC Freedom 250 is underway. Crews have begun erecting a UFC Octagon and the accompanying structures on the White House South Lawn for the mixed martial arts promotion's special attraction on June 14.

Photos emerged on Tuesday showing that construction has started on UFC's upcoming spectacle . Two intersecting arches stand out, with the Octagon expected to be housed underneath them. The arches are outfitted with dozens of lights, plus banners reflecting the colors of the American flag.

UFC published online renderings depicting what the event will look like. The traditional Octagon will sit on a similar-shaped platform with LED panels featuring the star spangled banner. Two large screens projecting the fights will rest on the arches' legs.

> Construction has begun at the White House for UFC Freedom 250 🇺🇸 #UFCWhiteHouse SUNDAY | June 14 on @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/ImZK1RgOY1 — UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) May 26, 2026

The South Lawn will host approximately 4,500 spectators, with 1,000 of those seats reserved for military personnel. The rest will be split between Trump and UFC CEO Dana White for their guests.

Fans can watch UFC Freedom 250 live from nearby The Ellipse Park. The park will accommodate up to 85,000 fans, free of charge, with large screens set up for viewing the fights. A two-day "Fan Fest" will also take place at The Ellipse on June 12 and 13, featuring a concert headlined by Zac Brown Band.

The event is advertised as a celebration of the United States' 250th anniversary, though it takes place on President Donald Trump's 80th birthday.

UFC Freedom 250 features a truncated seven-fight card, streaming exclusively on Paramount+ . A lightweight title unification fight between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje headlines the card. In the co-main event, former two-division champion Alex Pereira fights Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title. Other notable names competing include Sean O'Malley, Josh Hokit, Michael Chandler and Derrick Lewis.

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_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/ufc/news/ufc-white-house-construction-south-lawn-freedom-250-event/)._