EntertainmentThe UFC Freedom 250 event held on the White House grounds in June has been described by TKO officials as a “roaring success." But the financial numbers tell a different story.The organization says it will not hold event again due to steep price tagKayla McLean · CBC News · Posted: Aug 05, 2026 2:17 PM EDT | Last Updated: 39 minutes agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.U.S. President Donald Trump and Melania Trump, third and fourth from left, pose with UFC president and CEO Dana White and other guests after UFC Freedom 250 took place on the South Lawn of the White House, in Washington, D.C., on June 14. (Evan Vucci/Pool Photo/The Associated Press)The UFC Freedom 250 event held on the White House grounds in June has been described by TKO officials as a "roaring success." But the financial numbers tell a different story.TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), says it spent about $60 million US in production costs for the June 14 event — one of the most highly anticipated fight cards in the organization's recent history.But during the company's earnings call on Monday, chief financial officer Andrew Schleimer admitted the company lost roughly $30 million on the elaborately staged spectacle, which was held to mark the United States’ 250th birthday and President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday.Trump gets ringside seat at White House UFC event on his 80th birthday"We incurred significantly higher-than-normal costs, which we partially offset with sold-out global partnerships inventory," Schleimer told investors during the company’s Q2 earnings call, according to Variety."As a reminder, we did not sell tickets and therefore did not record any live events revenue. Given the event's financial profile — which as anticipated resulted in approximately $30 million loss — our margins at UFC, as well as on a consolidated basis, were meaningfully impacted."The mixed martial arts event, drew more than 34 million viewers globally, according to Variety, and featured a seven-fight card that marked the first time in UFC history that every bout ended by knockout or technical knockout. Fourteen elite fighters squared off in the cage fight erected on the White House’s South Lawn before a crowd of roughly 4,300 guests, including members of U.S. Congress, business executives, military service members and Trump administration officials.The White House billed it as a "once-in-a-generation celebration of the American fighting spirit."Ilia Toupruia, left, fights Justin Gaethje during UFC Freedom 250, on the South Lawn of the White House on June 14. (Alex Brandon/The Associated Press)Despite the financial loss, TKO's CEO, Ari Emanuel, was singing the event's praises during Monday's earnings call."TKO's unique ability to deliver one-on-one live events and experiences was front and centre in the second quarter. Nothing illustrates this better than UFC Freedom 250 held in June,” Emanuel said on the call. "This event was a roaring success for our company, the UFC brand and the sport of mixed martial arts, exposure, earned media, audience expansion and a weekend-long fan experience."Other executives echoed the sentiment. TKO's chief operating officer, Mark Shapiro, praised the fight for generating more than $1 billion in "earned media value" while strengthening the company's commercial partnerships.Trump celebrates 80th birthday with White House cage fight"It also deepened our commercial relationships, adding 25 new marketing partners to our roster — many signing multi-year or multi-event deals," Shapiro said, according to The Hill, adding that the event "delivered results as designed."Roaring success or not, fans expecting the event to return to the White House shouldn't get their hopes up. UFC president and CEO Dana White, a longtime friend of Trump, said after the event that while it was "an amazing experience," his company has no plans to stage a repeat due to the enormous cost."I can't afford it," White said according to US Weekly. "I'll never do the Sphere again, and we'll never do this again."ABOUT THE AUTHORKayla McLean is a web journalist with CBC News in Toronto. She grew up in Brampton, Ont., and received her bachelor of arts in media production at Toronto Metropolitan University. Before joining CBC in 2024, she worked as a breaking news reporter at Global News Toronto — covering everything from crime, sports, festivals and politics. She also reported for Global News's current affairs show, The New Reality, covering stories with a focus on racial equality and climate justice. She also previously held positions as a chase producer and writer for CTV News Channel.