The UFC may not be eager to pay its fighters more. But it’s sparing no expense for the UFC Freedom 250 card. Dana White and the promotion are now expected to foot a staggering $700K repair bill for the White House South Lawn following the historic June 14 event, which is set to coincide with President Donald Trump’s birthday. 

According to reports, the South Lawn has undergone a dramatic transformation ahead of the event. To accommodate the 5,000-seat arena and ‘The Claw’, a massive dome-and-arch structure, the lawn had to be flattened, leaving the grass severely damaged. As a result, the UFC is now expected to face a staggering $700K repair bill. 

The UFC was already spending a staggering $60 million on the Freedom 250 event, per Puck News. One may be mistaken to think the promotion can profit from the event after spending such massive amounts of money. Mark Shapiro, president of the TKO Group, which owns the UFC, has claimed they are not looking to make a profit from the event. 

Instead, Dana White revealed that the UFC plans to offset nearly half of the projected losses through partnerships and sponsorships. The bigger picture is clear: the promotion is playing the long game, aiming to turn UFC events into mainstream spectacles comparable to the Super Bowl — if the brand hasn’t already reached that level.

So, compared to the reported $30 million loss UFC and TKO are expected to absorb for the event, what’s another $700K? Practically nothing. In fact, White reportedly isn’t concerned about the financial hit at all. His primary focus is ensuring the historic event runs flawlessly. Craig Borsari, the executive overseeing UFC event operations, has already relocated to Washington, D.C., to supervise the massive setup firsthand.

“Craig Borsari, my OCD head of production, is in D.C. now till the 15th,” White told ‘The Pat McAfee Show’. “He’s living there until this project’s done. And obviously, we’re building the claw right now. That’s the lighting grid that I wanted so that when we’re filming this fight, you won’t see a light, a microphone, any lighting grid. 

“All you will see is the full White House in the back while you’re watching the fight. And if it goes the other way, you’ll see the Washington Monument.”

In the meantime, though, tickets for the event are being offered to United States service members. 

Dana White will have to make room for US service members

President Donald Trump is offering free tickets to a UFC fight event at the White House for US service members. But there is one major condition. Troops must meet strict military fitness and body composition standards to qualify. According to Pentagon guidance memos reviewed by CNN, service members attending the event must have a waist-to-height ratio below 0.55. 

In addition, they should meet all physical fitness requirements set by their branch of service. The policy aligns with new Defense Department standards introduced earlier this year under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has pushed for tougher fitness requirements across the military. 

Reports also suggest Pentagon officials want attendees who will “look good” on camera during the highly publicized event.

The guidance further instructs commanders to prioritize “genuine UFC fans” and focus on junior enlisted troops and officers. While tickets are free, military personnel selected for the event will reportedly have to cover their own travel expenses.

Having said that, the UFC is not expected to make money from the event. Even their tickets are being given away for free. However, if everything goes their way, the next few years could help them grow tremendously.