UFC to hold White House card without DC's official sanction

[mahatmakanejeeves]

UFC to hold White House card without DC’s official sanction

José Umaña | [e-mail]
June 6, 2026, 6:29 AM


Workers continue building the cage for a future UFC fight on the South Lawn in front of the White House, Friday, June 5, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert

When the UFC hosts its Freedom 250 fight card on the White House South Lawn on June 14, D.C.’s Combat Sports Commission will not be involved. ... The UFC elected not to use the D.C. commission, which normally serves as an independent party supplying judges and referees, and examining fighters’ health before and after their fights. ... Commission chairperson Andrew Huff said the UFC determined it was not required to use the agency because the card is taking place on federal land.

That could set a precedent for future fighting events, Huff told WTOP. ... A promoter could effectively schedule a boxing card at Malcolm X Park, which is on federal land and controlled by the National Park Service, and simply not seek to work with local regulators.

“In essence, it’s another example of federal overreach into our local affairs,” Huff said. “This is an event that’s happening in our jurisdiction. Our commission, in our view, has the authority to sanction and regulate the event, and we are not doing so.”

When it comes to fighter safety, Huff said a referee employed by a promoter could be influenced to not stop a match “because it’s not in the best interest of the company or the event.” ... “There’s always the possibility that that individual, because they’re not necessarily impartial, would allow a fight to continue, and someone could get really injured,” he said. “Whereas a commission official would have no stake, no interest in the event, other than working the event and doing their job.”

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José Umaña
José Umaña is a digital editor for WTOP. He’s been working as a journalist for almost a decade, covering local news, education and sports. His work has appeared in The Prince George’s Sentinel, The Montgomery Sentinel, Orlando Sentinel, PressBox and The Diamondback.

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[RandySF]

1. Federal turf.