(AFP) – The White House on Thursday previewed the huge fighting arena known as “The Claw” that will host an Ultimate Fighting Championship bout on President Trump’s 80th birthday. Journalists including an AFP reporter were granted access for the first time to the 92-foot (28-metre) tall structure — taller than the White House itself — that workmen have been building for weeks on the historic South Lawn.
In the center is the so-called “Octagon,” the eight-sided cage where 14 UFC fighters will battle it out in front of Trump in the unprecedented event on Sunday night. Firms including Bud Light beer and the Polymarket prediction market have their names emblazoned on the padding of the ring for the $60-million tournament. Surrounding the Octagon are black padded seats for 4,500 guests, each with a sign on the back saying “Warning: Please do not stand on chair,” in case spectators get overexcited.
A huge red, white, and blue sign saying “UFC Freedom 250” greets visitors, and a similar logo appears on video screens attached to the side of the arena. That’s a reminder that the event is meant to kick off celebrations for this year’s 250th anniversary of US independence — as well as the fact that the UFC says it is picking up the price tag. From the back of the structure, journalists could see beer tents leading down to the South Lawn’s fountain, and portable toilets. Behind that is a huge structure on the Ellipse, the grassy area just outside the grounds, where the White House says up to 125,000 people will be able to watch on free screens.
The day of the UFC fight is officially Flag Day in the United States — but it also happens to be the day that Trump, the oldest ever American president to take office, turns 80 years old. Trump himself is a UFC fan who has attended a series of fights, endearing himself to its core fanbase of young men — a key demographic in the 2024 US presidential election.
The billionaire Republican mused earlier this month about keeping “The Claw” at the White House after the fight, comparing it to how the Eiffel Tower in Paris remained after an 1889 World Fair. But the White House says the arena will start being dismantled the morning afterwards, according to papers in a lawsuit filed by people asking a judge to halt the fight. “The Claw will be disassembled immediately after the event concludes,” Joshua Fisher, Director for White House Management and Administration, said in the papers.
The Trump administration is meanwhile closely aligning itself with the macho world of UFC, even as it pursues a muscular foreign policy including the ongoing war with Iran. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is due to host UFC boss Dana White later Thursday to sign a new partnership to “enhance sports diplomacy initiatives and collaborate on the global growth of mixed martial arts.” FBI Director Kash Patel on Wednesday highlighted a separate partnership with the UFC to teach federal agents “amazing tactics so they can safeguard American lives.”
– Danny KEMP
© 2024 AFP
