Trump Marks 80th Birthday With UFC Fights on the White House Lawn

President Donald Trump is celebrating his 80th birthday on Sunday with an unprecedented event at the White House. A special UFC arena was built on the South Lawn, the area normally used for helicopter departures, and the main attraction is scheduled to be seven fights in honor of the president.

According to UFC president Dana White, the idea came from Trump himself. Trump has attended many UFC events over the past 25 years and is considered one of the sport’s best-known and longest-standing fans. The setup includes a small coliseum-style ring, thousands of seats, and a suspended roof. About 4,300 spectators are expected, including roughly 1,200 seats reserved for active-duty military personnel, who had to meet strict appearance and fitness requirements.

The event is being billed as the first major professional sports event ever held on White House grounds. Weather could complicate the celebration, with the U.S. meteorological service saying there is a “likely” chance of thunderstorms at the scheduled time.

At the same time, Trump suffered a legal setback in Washington. A federal judge rejected a petition aimed at blocking the event, after critics argued the administration was using a regulation meant to fund national celebrations for America’s birthday, not the president’s. Separately, Trump’s effort to put his name on the Kennedy Center hit a wall when a court ordered it removed. The name, added last year after Trump fired several board members, appointed himself to the board and then became chairman, has now been taken off the building, the website and official documents. The Kennedy Center said the change was completed Friday night, and a crowd of cheering protesters gathered outside to watch it happen.