Trump hosts UFC fights at White House as part of America 250 events

• President Donald Trump hosted a UFC fight night on the White House grounds on Sunday as part of programming for America’s 250th anniversary. Trump watched the matches from a cage-side seat on the South Lawn, sitting between first lady Melania Trump and UFC CEO Dana White. Trump’s entire immediate family was in attendance.

• Also at the event were several high-profile business leaders and administration officials. The fight night generated enthusiasm among Trump supporters, but drew rebuke from critics and skepticism from some Republicans. Protesters rallied outside the White House, while attendees flocked into fan zones.

• It was an eventful birthday for the president, who also announced an agreement had been reached with Iran. He headed to the G7 summit in France after the fights.

Our live coverage of the UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House has ended. Get the latest US politics news here.

President Donald Trump hosted a UFC fight night event on the White House South Lawn on Sunday, the day of his 80th birthday, and watched from a seat next to the “Octagon.”

Billionaires and lawmakers attended the event alongside the president’s entire immediate family and members of his Cabinet.

CNN observed heavy security around the entrance to the UFC event at the Ellipse Sunday evening, as the proceedings got underway.

It was a night of wild knockouts for UFC fans, including two stunning upsets.

After the conclusion of the third fight, some in the crowd sang “Happy Birthday” to the president.

UFC CEO Dana White cast Sunday’s fight night at the White House as an overwhelming success, while insisting that the event was not meant to be political.

“This event was for America’s 250th birthday. There was no political agenda,” White said at a post-fight press conference surrounded by many of the night’s fighters. “I believe that if you are an American, no matter where you sit politically, tonight was just a proud night.”

The morning after the fight, Trump commented on how the weather turned in their favor, even though thunderstorms were forecasted.

“The weather was scheduled to be horrendous, and it turned out to be PERFECT!” Trump said. “One of the most exciting days in the History of our fabled White House!”

UFC CEO Dana White cast Sunday’s fight night at the White House as an overwhelming success while insisting that the event was not meant to be political.

“This event was for America’s 250th birthday. There was no political agenda,” White said at a post-fight press conference surrounded by many of the night’s fighters. “I believe that if you are an American, no matter where you sit politically, tonight was just a proud night.”

White also acknowledged that the notoriety of the event and its location likely brought UFC to some new audiences.

“Hopefully we created some unity in the country and in the world and brought in some new fans,” he said.

While noting the uniqueness of the event, White was blunt about putting together an encore. Asked whether Trump might want to “do it again next year,” he replied:

“I can’t afford it. There’s no f*cking way we can do this again … We’ll never do this again.”

White said he and the president are “talking about doing a fight for the troops” sometime next year but that those plans still needed to be set. He noted the difficulty around scheduling events at US military bases but said, “the president can make a lot of things happen.”

Despite the added scrutiny and security protocols outside the cage, fight fans were treated to a night of wild knockouts inside it, culminating in two stunning upsets in the co-main bouts.

American Justin Gaethje was crowned the new lightweight champion after dethroning Ilia Topuria – the Spanish-Georgian’s corner called the fight after the fourth round owing to injuries. Gaethje broke Topuria’s previously undefeated 17-0 professional record in what UFC commentator Joe Rogan called “one of the biggest upsets in the history of the sport.”

Gaethje shook President Donald Trump’s hand moments after winning the fight. Trump called the event “beyond anything anybody’s ever seen in sports” as he headed inside the White House shortly after.

There was another shock in the earlier co-main event, when France’s Ciryl Gane knocked out one of the biggest stars in the UFC in former two-division champion Alex Pereira of Brazil, to capture the interim heavyweight belt.

Early round knockouts were a theme for the preceding undercard, with fan favorite Sean O’Malley, donning his unmistakeable neon pink-dyed cornrows, ended Canadian Aiemann Zahabi’s seven-fight win streak with a devastating knockout in the second round.

American heavyweight Josh Hokit finished compatriot Derrick Lewis in round two to extend his undefeated professional fighting record to 10-0. UFC veteran Lewis has long been considered one of Trump’s favorite fighters.

Elsewhere, Brazil’s Mauricio Ruffy dispatched American Michael Chandler in the first round of their lightweight bout; Bo Nickal knocked out fellow American Kyle Daukaus just as Trump took his seat; and Brazilian Diego Lopes staged an impressive comeback to finish American Steve Garcia to open the event.

President Donald Trump is watching matches at the UFC fight night he’s hosting from a seat next to the “Octagon” on the White House South Lawn. The events also landed on his 80th birthday.

President Trump watched UFC Freedom 250 from a seat next to the octagon on the White House South Lawn, part of events marking America’s 250th anniversary. Today's events also landed on his 80th birthday.

President Donald Trump was seen smiling briefly cage-side after UFC fighter Josh Hokit made a false and offensive remark about former first lady Michelle Obama during his post-fight speech.

Hokit praised Trump for putting on the White House event, before adding, “And lastly, Michelle Obama is a man. Am I right, America?”

In a brief moment captured on camera, Trump, seated first row at the “Octagon,” appeared to show a half-smile seconds after the false remark, which has previously circulated online. A mixture of cheers and boos rippled through the crowd.

CNN has reached out to the White House and Michelle Obama’s office for comment.

Earlier this year, Trump refused to apologize after posting and then deleting a racist video depicting former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama as apes in a jungle, insisting he hadn’t seen the final frames containing the offensive content and blaming a staffer for the mistake.

CNN’s Kit Maher reports on the big-name guests attending the UFC fight night on the White House grounds.

President Donald Trump is hosting a UFC fight night on the White House grounds, as part of programming for America’s 250th anniversary. CNN's Kit Maher reports on which big-name guests attended the event.

David Ellison, the Paramount Skydance chief executive, spoke with President Donald Trump at the UFC Freedom 250 event on Sunday, days after the Trump administration approved a merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery.

Friday’s sign-off by the Department of Justice, while expected, was a key step in Paramount’s quest to acquire CNN, HBO, the Warner Bros. movie studio and other Warner Bros. Discovery assets.

The bid for WBD has been a source of controversy, partly due to Paramount’s close ties to Trump and the company’s perceived efforts to win favor with his administration.

Paramount says the deal is “fundamentally pro-competitive.” As for the prospect of taking control of CNN, which has raised alarms among press freedom groups, the company says it is committing to “invest in the future of journalism, not diminish it.”

Ellison was first seen kneeling beside the president as the two spoke for roughly a minute and a half while Trump remained seated.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was also seen with the president.

Both men were seen in video footage at different points approaching Trump, who was seated cage-side during a break between fights, to briefly greet him.

Zuckerberg approached Trump, shook his hand, and also greeted first lady Melania Trump.

Following the interactions, Trump stood and joined a group photo with Zuckerberg, Ellison, and others. Dana White appeared centered in the frame as the group gathered for the picture.

CNN’s Brian Stelter contributed reporting.

President Donald Trump’s entire immediate family turned out cage-side for the historic “UFC Freedom 250” event held Sunday on the White House South Lawn, which coincided with his 80th birthday celebration.

First lady Melania Trump was seated next to the president throughout the fights as the mega event unfolded.

Donald Trump Jr. and his new wife Bettina Trump, Eric Trump and Lara Trump, Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner, and Tiffany Trump with her husband Michael Boulos were all spotted ringside, at times approaching the US president, to take photos during breaks in the fights. Barron Trump, the president’s youngest son, sat behind his parents.

Several of the president’s grandchildren also attended the mixed martial arts event. Kai Trump, his eldest granddaughter, who has often appeared with him at sporting events, posted on social media earlier Sunday, a playful staged pre-fight face-off with UFC CEO Dana White inside the White House octagon.

Other grandchildren, including Donald J. Trump III and Spencer Trump, have also previously attended as part of Trump’s entourage at major public sporting events.

After the conclusion of the third fight, some in the crowd sung “Happy Birthday” to President Donald Trump, who turned 80 years old today.

Trump has appeared to be watching the fights closely, clapping at parts and occasionally turning to speak to UFC President and CEO Dana White beside him.

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