Donald Trump has confirmed that the hotly debated UFC fight at the White House will take place on his 80th birthday.
The controversial event, which will be hosted on the South Lawn, was originally set to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence.
The president confirmed the new date while speaking at an event to mark 250 years of the US Navy.
“On June 14, next year, we’re going to have a big UFC fight at the White House, right at the White House on the grounds,” Trump told a crowd of Navy cadets and service people. He did not mention that the fight will now fall on his birthday.
Last week, UFC fighter Conor McGregor said that he had signed on for the June match-up in a “done deal.”
“It ain’t a negotiation,” he added on Fox News.
However, Dana White, CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, said that his team has “not started negotiating” with anyone for the fight.
“I made it clear Conor wants to fight on that card, and you can clearly see Conor is very fired up to fight on that card, but nothing is done yet, and no fights are being negotiated with the White House," White told reporters.
The UFC executive, a close ally and friend of the president, warned that security is going to be a “massive issue” at the event. According to White, fewer than 5,000 people will be able to attend the event at the White House.
Other attendees will be moved into a “park connected to the White House,” White said, referencing President’s Park.
“We can put 85,000 people over there with screens,” he continued. “We’re gonna put a big stage out there and do concerts. We’re gonna take over Washington D.C. that whole week.”
In September, the White House told The Hill that the huge event will also feature fireworks and light shows, as well as fighter weigh-ins at the Lincoln Memorial.
Previously, Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung told the Wall Street Journal that the event will “celebrate America’s monumental 250th anniversary,” on Independence Day. Now, the event will take place three weeks early to coincide with the president’s birthday.
When Trump eventually concludes his second term, he will be the oldest president in history. The president will be 82 years-old when he finally leaves office, although he has repeatedly threatened to run for an unprecedented third term.
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