The upcoming UFC event at the White House promises to be one of the biggest shows in the history of the mixed martial arts company. But it’s already hit a significant hurdle.
Fight fans don’t know the card yet as it is supposed to be revealed during Saturday night’s UFC 326 broadcast on Paramount+. Given the political stakes involved of hosting an event at the White House and the amount of mainstream attention the event is going to receive, the UFC is obviously trying to make the card as big as possible. The only thing known at this point is that the event will be called “Freedom Fights 250” and that there will be two championship bouts.
However, before a fight was even announced, UFC leadership has already revealed that a change in plans will be necessary.
During Friday night’s UFC 326 weigh-ins, Dana White revealed that one of his planned fights has fallen apart at the last minute. He then jokingly said that UFC business executive Hunter Campbell “killed himself” over the news.
Regardless of who actually does end up fighting, the cost of the event to UFC and parent company TKO is extraordinary. White has pledged to foot the bill himself so that all of the needed construction and security measures don’t come at the expense of taxpayers. The price tag could exceed $60 million even though TKO executives are confident they will easily make a return on investment given the notoriety and publicity that the promotion will receive.
But given all that attention, UFC will have to deliver a fight card that is worthy of all the hype. And with Netflix offering a dream bout of Ronda Rousey vs Gina Carano that will already have casuals captivated and curious to turn in, Dana White and company need to pull out all the stops to ensure that the card is a success. And the fact that they are clearly scrambling to put one together so close to announcing the lineup is an ominous sign.
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