Skip to Content Subscribe Our Offers My Account Manage My Subscriptions FAQ Newsletters Canada Canadian True Crime Canadian Politics Health World Israel & Middle East Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Comics NP News Quiz New York Times Crossword Horoscopes Life Eating & Drinking Style Sponsored Play for Ontario Travel Travel Canada Travel USA Travel International Cruises Travel Essentials Culture Books Celebrity Movies Music Theatre Television Business Essentials Advice Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Buy Canadian Home Living Outdoor Living Tech Style & Beauty Kitchen & Dining Personal Care Entertainment & Hobbies Gift Guide Travel Guide Deals Savings National Post Store More Sports Hockey Baseball Basketball Football Soccer Golf Tennis Driving Vehicle Research Reviews News Gear Guide Obituaries Place an Obituary Place an In Memoriam Classifieds Place an Ad Celebrations Working Business Ads Archives Healthing Epaper Manage Print Subscription Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ Newsletters Canada World Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Life Shopping Epaper Manage Print Subscription HomeNewsWorldWhite House eclipsed by giant UFC fight cage. Here's what to knowThe massive arch over the cage will dwarf the White House, with the event set to take place June 14 You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.Construction continues for the upcoming UFC match on the South Lawn of the White House on May 26, 2026 in Washington, DC. Photo by Kevin Dietsch /Getty ImagesThe White House is building an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighting cage on the South Lawn, with plans to host an event there next month as part of the nation’s 250th birthday. Here’s what to know.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorCrews are erecting a standard UFC cage, which is 30 feet (about 9.1 metres) in diametre, directly in front of the White House entrance. U.S. President Donald Trump has referred to the temporary structure as “a 5,000-seat arena right outside the front door of the White House.”The cage will sit beneath a massive arch-like structure that looks more like a UFO than UFC. It was previously erected in rural Lititz, Pennsylvania, before being disassembled and shipped to Washington. At 90 feet (27 metre) tall it will dwarf the relatively modest White House, which is 70 feet (21 metres) tall at the south side.Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againDubbed UFC Freedom 250, the event is costing UFC US$60million, which includes US$700,000 for replacing the South Lawn grass after the event.There will be seven matches, including two championship title fights. Brazil’s Alex Pereira will take on France’s Ciryl Gane for the interim UFC heavyweight crown, while Ilia Topuria of Georgia will square off against U.S. current interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje.Canadian Aiemann Zahabi, born in Laval, Quebec, is also on the card, facing Sean O’Malley of the United States in a bantamweight bout.The event is set to take place on June 14, which is Flag Day but also Trump’s 80th birthday.No. UFC president Dana White said that 4,300 people will watch the event on the South Lawn, most of whom will be invited members of the military.He added that another 85,000 tickets will be made available for free to members of the public to watch the event at the nearby Ellipse Park. No tickets will be on general sale to the public.The BBC reports that “high roller” packages for some VIP guests, costing US$1.5-million, will provide special access at the event.“I have never seen anybody want anything so much as people want those tickets,” Trump said of the demand.Trump has a decades-long connection with the UFC, dating back to his Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, N.J., hosting a UFC event in 2001.“Nobody took us seriously,” White said of the event. “Except Donald Trump.” The two are longtime friends, and White has thrown his support behind Trump in each of his runs at the presidency.While temporary, the UFC stands are just the latest of Trump’s modifications to the White House and its grounds. These include adding gold details to the Oval Office, paving over the Rose Garden grass to install a patio space, refurbishing the bathroom attached to the Lincoln bedroom and, most controversially, demolishing the East Wing to make room for a new ballroom.Trump also added a “Presidential Walk of Fame” along the West Colonnade, the walkway between the West Wing and the White House residence, with images of every U.S. president except for Joe Biden. His frame contains a picture of an autopen.Trump is not the first president to make changes in the name of physical fitness.In 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt added an indoor swimming pool. (He suffered from polio and swam in therapy pools.) It has since been covered and is underneath the floor of the press centre.A renovation by Harry S Truman in the late 1940s included the addition of a two-lane bowling alley on the ground floor of the West Wing, later moved to the Old Executive Office Building. In 1969, Richard Nixon, an avid bowler, had a new one-lane alley built in an underground workspace area.And shortly after taking office in 2009, Barack Obama, a basketball fan, modified a tennis court so it could be used for both tennis and basketball.Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our newsletters here. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.