White House preparations begin for upcoming UFC event

With the historic bout less than two weeks away, crews have begun constructing the cage where Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) stars will face off at the White House in mid-June.

The event is part of the celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, as announced by President Donald Trump in December.

The octagonal cage will feature an overhead lighting arch and screens on both sides. The fight will take place on the White House South Lawn.

"On June 14, we’re going to have a big fight. Something that will never happen again and something that has never happened before," Trump said during an Oval Office briefing on May 6.

The president noted that the event will accommodate 14,000 people on the South Lawn. According to The New York Times, tickets will be distributed among guests of Dana White (UFC President), Ari Emanuel (CEO of TKO Group Holdings, the UFC's parent company), Trump himself, and members of the U.S. military.

However, more than 85,000 people will have the chance to watch the fight from Ellipse Park, Trump added. The UFC held a ticket lottery giving individuals the chance to win two tickets each; the registration period ended on May 22.

The UFC also announced that the fight will be streamed on Paramount+. Preliminary bouts will begin at 4 p.m., while the main card starts at 8 p.m.

See the lineup of fighters here.

Events all weekend long

Mixed martial arts fans can enjoy events throughout the weekend. According to the UFC, the face-off will take place at the Lincoln Memorial on Friday, June 12, at 8 p.m.—an event that is free and open to the public.

On Saturday, June 13, an immersive fan experience will be held at Ellipse Park from 3:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. The event will feature live shows with UFC athletes, celebrity appearances, and exclusive on-stage moments. Fans will also have the opportunity to meet some of the UFC stars.

The fighters' weigh-in ceremony will take place that same day at 8:30 p.m. Finally, a concert by country and rock artist Zac Brown will be held that night. All three events are free, but tickets are required for admission.

Lastly, the official fight will take place at the White House on Sunday, June 14, along with a "watch party" at Ellipse Park. Click here for more information.

This story was originally published in Telemundo 44.