When the president of the United States leans over during a UFC event and says, “We should do an event at the White House,” you say yes. That, at least, is how Dana White tells it.
The UFC president has been making the rounds defending UFC Freedom 250, the promotion’s upcoming event on June 14th at the South Lawn of the White House. The date carries a double meaning that has not gone unnoticed: it falls on Donald Trump’s birthday as well as Flag Day, prompting questions about whether the show is a patriotic occasion or something more personal.
In interviews with both TIME and Entertainment Tonight, White pushed back on that framing without hesitation.
“It’s definitely not a political event,” he told ET during a tour of the UFC Performance Institute. “You can be far left, far right, or right down the middle. This is the 250th birthday of America. We’re going to tell the story and the history of America. Most of the people of the 4,000 that will be there will be military from every branch. It’s Americans coming together and celebrating the history and the birthday of America.”
His answer to TIME cut to the same point. “I love this country like anybody on the left loves this country. I love this country like anybody on the right loves this country. This is basically me spending a sh*tload of money to celebrate the 250th birthday of America, with America and the rest of the world,” White said.
The event is expected to draw a crowd that far exceeds the South Lawn’s limited seating. White described plans that stretch across the National Mall.
“We could end up having 85,000 people over at the Ellipse,” he said. “We already have over 70,000 people that have registered to get a ticket and the tickets are free, but you still have to go through like a lottery system to get it. There’s going to be over 100,000 people that will cycle through everything that we’re doing that week in DC.”
Demand for access has apparently set records, even by presidential standards. “A lot of people have called me and according to the president, he said in everything that he’s ever done as far as putting out events in his life, he’s never had more requests for tickets than this,” White noted.
The card also came under scrutiny for not featuring any women’s bouts. White acknowledged the original plan included them but said circumstances forced a change in direction. “We did try to make a women’s matchup, but couldn’t get it done,” he said.
As for what it all adds up to, White had no reservations about the event. “It is the most exciting live sporting event you will ever see,” he said.
