Political blows fly ahead of Trump’s White House UFC fight

An unprecedented moment in U.S. political and sports history is set to unfold on June 14, when a UFC pay-per-view event will be hosted on the South Lawn of the White House — the same day former President Donald Trump celebrates his 80th birthday. What was expected to be a straightforward celebration of Trump’s deep ties to the wildly popular mixed martial arts world has instead devolved into open infighting, with prominent fighters and key MMA voices raising loud objections over the event’s logistics, cost, and political implications, just weeks before the first step into the Octagon.