South Lawn grass will need $700k repair after UFC | Sports News

Dana White and the UFC are going through a $700,000 repair invoice to revive the South Lawn grass following the promotion company’s Freedom 250 occasion. The South Lawn has undergone a dramatic overhaul forward of the UFC occasion, with putting photos capturing the intensive construction happening on the White House popping out this week.

The seven-bout spectacle — scheduled to coincide with President Donald Trump‘s eightieth birthday whereas commemorating the nation’s 250th anniversary — guarantees an abundance of star energy and marquee matchups. UFC Freedom 250 options Ilia Topuria versus Justin Gaethje because the headline bout, with Alex Pereira set to compete for a heavyweight title within the co-main occasion after transferring up a weight class.

To accommodate the 5,000-seat area and “The Claw” — a large dome-and-arch construction — stories claimed that the South Lawn needed to be “flattened,” inflicting important harm to the turf. It comes after White was informed he is a Trump “glazer” whereas defending his friendship with the president.

In an interview with Sports Business Journal final October, White acknowledged that repairing the harm inflicted by the short-term construction would come at a steep value. “There is no doubt about it, this is going to be the most challenging event we have ever done,” he mentioned on the time.

“I’m coming off a stadium event, which I don’t like stadiums, to the thing that I hate the most in outdoor events. So yes, we got through the Sphere, made it through (the Canelo Alvarez-Terence Crawford boxing match at) Allegiant (Stadium); now we head into Washington, D.C., on the White House lawn.

“This is only one little piece I used to be speaking about final evening: To substitute the grass, as a result of we will f— up the South Lawn, $700,000 simply to exchange the grass.”

Reports from Puck News suggest that Freedom 250 will set UFC’s parent company, TKO, back nearly $60 million. While White and his team are sparing no expense to deliver the much-anticipated fight card, detractors have fiercely condemned Trump for permitting such an event at the White House.

“What a national embarrassment! Trump turned the White House into a goddamn UFC area. The People’s House is now a circus tent for one pathetic clown,” one X user posted, while another commented: “INSANE! wtf has occurred to the presidency and congress. Laughing stock all over the world!”

A 3rd consumer remarked, “The UFC combat on the White House garden is a shame. History will keep in mind this being an excessive low for our nation, amongst many different lows we keep bumping up towards.”

White, for his part, appears unfazed by the criticism. During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, when questioned about any apprehensions regarding the event, the UFC CEO replied: “I do not fear about a lot. We’re good at what we do. We constructed this unbelievable machine.

“Craig Borsari, my OCD head of production, is in D.C. now till the 15th. 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 wished in order that after we’re filming this combat, you will not see a gentle, a microphone, any lighting grid. All you will see is the total White House within the back when you’re watching the combat. And if it goes the opposite manner, you will see the Washington Monument.”