With less than two weeks to go, construction crews are reportedly assembling the octagon-shaped fighting cage, specialized lighting systems, and seating for the temporary UFC Freedom 250 arena on the South Lawn of the White House. Interestingly, the 90-foot-tall steel structure, i.e., the arched lighting grid called “The Claw,” will hold multiple cameras and lights and have an American flag design. For UFC fans, it is a fantasy brought to life, and that appears to be the exact feeling of the President of the United States, Donald Trump, after witnessing the construction.

Highly impressed by the work, the President has now floated the idea of making “The Claw” a permanent structure, comparing it to the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

“People don’t know that in Paris, France, the Eiffel Tower, 1889, it was built,” Trump said in a video on social media. “It was supposed to be taken down immediately after the World’s Fair, and then they said, ‘You know what, we like it. Let’s leave it up a little bit longer.’ And then they said, ‘Let’s leave it up longer and longer and longer.’

“Well, they never took it down, and you know we’re building something in front of the White House that’s quite attractive to a lot of people. It’s going to have the big UFC fight on June 14, and I’m looking at it, and maybe we’ll never ever take it down.”

The President’s idea of making the structure permanent is understandable considering the laborious process that went into making “The Claw.” Originally manufactured in Belgium by Stageco, a well-known global steel staging company, the fabricated steel parts were then shipped to Lititz, Pennsylvania, where live-event engineering company TAIT integrated and built it up. Once the trials were done in the Pennsylvania countryside to test the robotic lights, camera mounts, and assembly timing, the structure was dismantled into sections and transported to Washington, DC, in a fleet of commercial flatbed trucks.

The entire process of putting together “The Claw” alone took more than three months. As such, the idea of taking it down right after June 14 would feel inconsiderate. But such is the task before Dana White.

The UFC is expected to spend upwards of $60 million to make the event happen. This includes the pre event expenses as well as the post event costs that involves a massive repair bill to replace the grass on the South Lawn destroyed by the Octagon, seating stands, and “The Claw.” Then there’s the cost of dismantling the “The Claw” and shipping it back.

Dana White and TKO president Mark Shapiro have repeatedly stated that the company won’t make a profit from the event. In fact, the promotion cannot sell tickets, merchandise, or anything else on federal land. As a result, it becomes a lose-lose situation for the UFC just to have the event.

On top of this, there are existing concerns that the promotion has to deal with before the event goes live.

Joe Rogan raises safety concerns over UFC White House card 

When it comes to the UFC White House card, most fans and pundits have been highly appreciative of how the promotion is pulling off such a spectacle. However, Joe Rogan‘s view has been slightly different.

To be fair, the UFC color commentator has praised both the UFC and Donald Trump for daring to stage an event at the White House. But, the 58-year-old firmly believes that holding fights in an open-air setting, along with the lingering safety concerns, raises serious questions about the event.

“There’s going to be a UFC event on the White House lawn,” Rogan told comedian Harland Williams on his JRE Podcast. “That seems like a good, safe place to be, huh? Everybody’s gonna know where all the world leaders are going to be. We are all gonna be stuck sitting in that spot for six hours calling fights. Super safe! I feel completely safe!

“I don’t like it because it’s outside. I think a world championship fight should be in a controlled environment, out of respect for the athletes and how difficult it is to compete professionally for a world title.”   

As Rogan pointed out, bugs, heat, and other environmental factors could easily affect a fight, making them legitimate concerns for the White House event alongside the security challenges. Also, Dana White has never been particularly fond of staging events outside a controlled arena until the White House card.

With those factors in mind, it is reasonable to assume that the UFC Freedom 250 card will remain a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle, and the Claw a temporary structure.