UFC's White House octagon takes shape on South Lawn three days before historic card

The UFC octagon is in place on the South Lawn of the White House, with production crews continuing to build out the venue three days before Sunday’s seven-fight card in Washington, D.C.

The event is headlined by a lightweight championship unification bout between the undefeated Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje, while Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane meet in the co-main event for an interim heavyweight title. Footage captured on site shows the structure taking shape, though significant production work remains ahead of fight day.

UFC Chief Content Officer Craig Borsari addressed reporters on Wednesday about one of the more unusual logistical challenges of staging a rare outdoor event: the weather. He confirmed the promotion has a clear plan for adverse conditions, though it stops short of a full guarantee.

“If we have light to moderate rain with no lightning, we’re going to try to push forward,” Borsari said. “That canopy will help — it’s more floor seating, maybe a couple of rows up, the bleacher packs — there are people that will get wet, and to be honest, it’s so high up that if we’ve got a bit of a breeze, the rain will start to creep inside that 100-foot diameter.”

Borsari acknowledged that a severe weather scenario could force a temporary halt to proceedings, but expressed hope that any pause would be brief and the event would ultimately be completed.

The exact cost of the setup has not been officially disclosed. UFC CEO Dana White has said on multiple occasions that the promotion is covering the bill and anticipates a net financial loss — a trade-off he has framed as worthwhile given the prestige of hosting a card at the White House. President Donald Trump has reportedly suggested the structure could remain on the South Lawn beyond this weekend.