UFC CEO rejects future outdoor fights after White House event

The historic UFC Freedom 250 event, held at the White House in Washington, D.C., has concluded, but it has not changed UFC CEO Dana White’s long-standing opposition to staging MMA events outdoors.

To host Sunday’s card, the UFC constructed a unique venue on the South Lawn, installing its “Claw” overhang rig along with a custom-built bleacher arena. The event became only the second open-air show in UFC history, following UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi in 2010.

Despite the event’s overall success, it experienced a slight delay at the start due to approaching thunderstorms in Washington, D.C. For White, this disruption reinforced his concerns about outdoor events.

"No, sir," White said bluntly at the post-fight press conference when asked whether he would consider more outdoor shows in the future. "I don't ever want to be f***ing outside ever again. There's just too much leading up to the fight you just have to sweat. Unless you're in, like, Abu Dhabi, when we did it before — I could be the weatherman in Abu Dhabi and I'd be right all the time."

White then invited feedback from fighters who competed on the card.

"The breeze was really nice," said new UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje.

"I loved it. Awesome," added middleweight contender Bo Nickal.

"You liked it? Everybody liked it?" White replied. "Still no."

He reiterated that the unpredictability of weather remains a critical concern when organizing large-scale events.

"When you're doing events like we do, there's enough things you have to worry about," he said. "What I always try to do is create the best experience possible for the fans. And if we have to worry about weather and all the things that come along with being outside, I just don't like it."

By Tamilla Hasanova