The huge UFC White House event may end up unsanctioned after a bombshell admission from a local official.
On June 14, Donald Trump's 80th birthday, the UFC will put on one of their biggest ever events to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States.
'UFC Freedom 250: The White House' will take place on the South Lawn, with 5,000 spectators in attendance - including 1,000 members of the military.
UFC president Dana White has also said that fighters will make their entrances from the Oval Office.
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UFC announced a stacked six-fight card for the show, with Ilia Topuria defending the lightweight title against Justin Gaethje in the main event.
Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane will also lock horns for the interim heavyweight championship - the winner likely facing Tom Aspinall when he returns from injury.
Jon Jones and Conor McGregor had both expressed an interest in competing on the mammoth event, but nothing materialised.
However, despite the event being locked in, there are some doubts over it going ahead as normal.
That's because Andrew Huff, the head of the DC Combat Sports Commission, has said the UFC must pay a $100 fee to secure a permit.
According to the Washington Post, the UFC do not believe they need a permit because the White House event is "taking place on federal land".
UFC White House card in full:
- Ilia Topuria vs Justin Gaethje
- Alex Pereira vs Ciryl Gane
- Sean O'Malley vs Aiemann Zahabi
- Mauricio Ruffy vs Michael Chandler
- Bo Nickal vs Kyle Daukaus
- Diego Lopes vs Steve Garcia
The DC Combat Sports Commission regulates boxing, mixed martial arts and professional wrestling in the capital and in this case, fighters, managers and promoters must be given licences for events to go ahead.
If no permit is obtained, the fights would technically be unsanctioned and no count towards any fighters' MMA record.
"We don’t know anything," Huff told the Washington Post.
"Every promoter in the District of Columbia should be, and is, held to the same standard, whether you’re putting on a small wrestling show or a major event.
"I’m concerned about precedent. What happens when someone puts on a boxing match in Malcolm X Park? They don’t need to get us involved?”
In addition, Nick Perry, chair of the New York Athletic Commission, said that “laws should apply across the board to everybody, especially laws that govern things like boxing and games where there are certain standards that are expected to be maintained".
UFC have had two events in D.C, the most recent being a card main evented between Alistair Overeem and Jairzinho Rozenstruik at the Capital One Arena in 2019.
For both events, the necessary permits were obtained. For fighters to compete, they normally submit medical records and undergo a physical examination from a doctor who is assigned by the commission.
They must also appear a weigh-in sanctioned by the commission, something that regularly happens at UFC events across the states.
While the UFC do have their own medical personnel, Huff is not convinced they can be viewed as impartial because they work for the promoter.
SPORTbible has contacted both the UFC and the White House for comment.
Topics: UFC, Donald Trump
Josh Lawless