President Donald Trump’s controversial UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House South Lawn earlier this summer reportedly cost the mixed martial arts company millions.Despite generating widespread attention, the event cost the UFC approximately $30 million, per a report from BBC Sport. UFC was able to recoup some of the event’s costs, which were initially estimated to be $60 million, through sponsorships and media partnerships. Andrew Schleimer, chief financial officer of UFC’s parent company told BBC Sport the fight incurred significantly higher than normal costs. “Given the event’s profile, which as anticipated, resulted in an approximate $30m loss, our margins at UFC as well as on a consolidated basis were meaningfully impacted,” Schleimer said.The UFC Freedom 250 event on the South Lawn of the White House, held on Trump’s 80th birthday, was a hodgepodge of patriotic symbolism, including ring walkouts that began inside the White House.AP Photo/Julia Demaree NikhinsonUFC president Dana White had predicted the event’s viewership would somehow rival that of the Super Bowl, and Trump bragged after the fight that it might have been more important than the FIFA World Cup. Ultimately, the event drew 34 million viewers, roughly one-fourth of February’s Super Bowl LX. The much-maligned event, held on Trump’s 80th birthday, was a hodgepodge of patriotic symbolism, including ring walkouts that began inside the White House. The fight also drew widespread criticism after heavyweight Josh Hokit randomly blurted out “Michelle Obama is a man” during his post-fight interview. The comments were eventually condemned by White.