The UFC Freedom 250 card is around the corner, but details regarding how the event will unfold remain clouded in uncertainty. The situation has also left former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley, who faces Aiemann Zahabi on the card, puzzled. Speaking on the Full Send Podcast recently, the 31-year-old shared his concerns about the event and the questions that remain unanswered. 

“I don’t know if the cage will actually be set up until fight day or the day before, but I’m not sure,” Sean O’Malley said. “I know we do like on Thursday or something we do like a rundown like a rehearsal of kind of like where we walk and s–t. But that’s the only time I think we actually go to the White House before.”

O’Malley’s confusion is valid. For regular events, the promotion’s cage crew arrives at the arena the day before the event to assemble the octagon. It’s brought to the venue in a massive truck and is often assembled in about three hours. On fight night, the crew conducts a final walkthrough in the late afternoon before taking charge of cage operations.

In this case, however, the White House South Lawn has undergone a dramatic transformation in recent days as the UFC constructs ‘The Claw.’ The massive structure is expected to accommodate approximately 5,000 guests while supporting the event’s extensive lighting and production equipment. 

Photos from the White House grounds show that the Octagon has not yet been installed inside the venue. But the setup itself is not O’Malley’s only concern.

“I also heard… weigh-ins might be a little bit later, like the official weigh-ins might be around 11 a.m., which is two hours later than they usually are,” he added. “The fight time we don’t have like an official like all right fight time fight you know main card starts at five, six, seven, we don’t know any of that. So this is gonna be a completely different fight week.

“I don’t know. Supposedly, the fight day could still change depending if [the] weather changes, and they said, ‘Oh, s–t, it might rain, [so] the fight day could still change. I have no idea.”

Variables, as Sean O’Malley presented, are a legitimate threat to the event. While the ceremonial weigh-ins are set for 8:30 PM ET on Saturday, June 13, the exact time for the official weigh-ins is unclear. In the meantime, the main card is set to begin at 8:00 PM ET on Sunday, June 14, 2026. 

As for the weather, Dana White previously claimed that lightning is the thing that can stop the event. The UFC is also coordinating with the military for weather forecasts during the event. Despite that, Washington, D.C.’s weather is known for being erratic. Last year’s weather patterns during the same time were a mix of sunny days, rain and thunderstorms. 

Still, if it doesn’t rain, heat and humidity will become a problem for the fighters during their fights. And if that didn’t cause issues, Dana White has mentioned that insects may also cause problems for the fighters. However, he has talked about bringing large industrial fans to deal with it. 

Sean O’Malley previously spoke about the conditions of his fight and appeared optimistic, claiming he would push through it. Michael Chandler, who will face Mauricio Ruffy on the same card, also spoke about the bug problem in an Instagram post. However, Chandler claimed he was getting acclimated to the conditions of fighting outdoors. 

In the meantime, UFC color commentator Joe Rogan, who will be part of the commentary team, has criticized the event because of the heat, insects, and potential for dehydration and suggested title fights shouldn’t happen outdoors. Although the UFC has taken precautions to avoid problems, fans weren’t sold when they heard O’Malley’s concerns on X. 

Joe Rogan is used to support concerns from Sean O’Malley

Fans instantly agreed with Sean O’Malley. One user posted: “Joe Rogan is right. What a gimmick this all is.” While Rogan did call the event a “gimmick,” it’s also worth noting that he later mocked people for criticizing the event over the country’s political situation. He described the event as there’s nothing “more American.”

Another user criticized the UFC for messing with the fighters’ schedule. “UFC setting up like that is pure chaos. O’Malley definitely ain’t feeling that uncertainty. They’re really messing with the fighters’ schedules here,” the user claimed. Schedules in UFC events are mostly straightforward. Fights happen one after the other. If one finishes quickly, the next starts sooner. 

Someone else had a request for the UFC. “Please start earlier so I can work with an hour of sleep more in my body,” the user commented. UFC events are largely quicker without major interruptions. However, since it’s a historic event, there could be other variables. 

Another user just understood something about the event. “Honestly explains why I haven’t seen an official start time anywhere yet,” the user wrote. According to the UFC, the main card will begin at 8:00 PM Eastern Time (ET) on Sunday, June 14, 2026. 

Meanwhile, this fan had a completely different take. “No one’s going to watch that shit,” the fan noted. But the hype around the event suggests it could be one of the most-viewed UFC events. 

Clearly, this is a first for every fighter on the card. No one else has fought on the White House Lawn before. But it’s yet to be seen whether it causes any real problems for the fighters.