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A night of spectacular fights.A stunning backdrop.A storm that apparently split in two before it reached the White House, keeping UFC Freedom 250 dry for a memorable night on the South Lawn of the White House during UFC Freedom 250.All witnessed by President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and about 4,300 people under a temporary arena, with fireworks exploding in the sky as the event came to an end Sunday night, June 14.And it'll never happen again, UFC CEO Dana White said at a post-even press conference."I can't afford it," White explained. "... we'll never do this again."The event cost the UFC $60 million to stage, according to White, who also said the company he leads exceeded all of its financial benchmarks.Doubled the all-time merchandise sales. Said the Paramount+ livestream was "monstrous" and that he got a call from David Ellison, chairman and CEO of Paramount Skydance."You don't get calls from billionaires flipping out too often," White said, adding that he will let Paramount announce viewership figures.The Paramount+ livestream captured the intimate setting near the Octagon and a estimated crowd of 90,000 watching the action on big screens at the Ellipse, a 52-acre national park across the street from the White House.Tens of thousands of people also gathered at the Ellipse on Saturday, June 13 for the first of two fan festivals."Over the last two days there was something like almost 200,000 people over at the Ellipse and list goes on and on," he said, referring to markers of success.White also marveled at the weather, saying the storm that approached the White House before the fights started "literally went like this."He separated his hands and wrapped them around a imaginary representation that is one of the world’s most famous buildings and on Sunday the site of a mixed martial arts events."I mean, just everything, you couldn't have had a better night," he said. "It was absolutely perfect."
