President Donald Trump will celebrate his 80th birthday Sunday with flying fists on the White House lawn. While many Ultimate Fighting Championship fighters have jumped at the chance to attend the Freedom 250 event, not all support it.
Fighters Voice Opposition
Since Trump announced the event last summer, several UFC fighters have publicly spoken out about the absurdity of holding bloody brawls on the White House South Lawn in service of the birthday boy.
“I don’t give a fuck about any of our political figures right now, and it’s like, to fight in front of them seems like some fucking ‘Hunger Games’ type of fucking shit,” star UFC flyweight Brandon Royval said on a podcast in November. “I don’t give a fuck to fight in front of some fucking billionaires and rich people that could give a shit less about me.”
“Probably throwing parlays,” Royval added. “It’s like, fuck you guys.”
Middleweight Sean Strickland, the only current American men’s UFC champion, claimed he was banned from attending over his criticisms of Israel and Trump’s connection to the late notorious sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. UFC CEO Dana White denied the claim.
“I’d like to apologize to Trump and to prove that I’m Israeli enough for you guys,” Strickland sarcastically said in a video last week. “Apparently, I’m not American enough to go to Freedom 250.”
Strickland had already said in December he wouldn’t attend. “If there was some kind of inclusion for fans, it’d be more,” Strickland said at the time. “But just to go hang out with people on the Epstein list? I’m good, dog.”
UFC bantamweight Bryce Mitchell blasted the event during a press conference last week after being asked about Strickland’s alleged ban. “I’m not surprised at all,” Mitchell said. “I mean, freedom of speech really makes this country great, and when you can’t criticize a foreign nation — a foreign nation! — come on, man. We ought to be able to criticize our own nation, let alone a foreign nation. In fact, that’s the only nation you’re not allowed to criticize, you know. Something’s gonna change, because evil empires don’t last forever, there’s always a rebellion. You ever see Star Wars? That’s what’s gonna happen, bro. Darth Vader’s gonna get took down.”
“What I think personally is the government is desecrating its role in society by entertaining sports,” Mitchell added. He stopped short, however, of criticizing the UFC. “If they need me to fill in, if I’m healthy, hey, I’ll do it,” he said. “For the UFC, I think it’s great. It’s beyond great, it’s literally the perfect scenario.”
Outdoor Concerns
Podcaster and UFC commentator Joe Rogan said on his show last month that he didn’t like the idea of holding the event outdoors, where temperature and bugs could be factors. “I don’t like the idea of fighting outside at all,” Rogan said on his podcast. “There are too many problems with it. In June, in D.C., we looked it up last year — the same day was 100 degrees.”
The forecast currently shows a high of 90 degrees in D.C. on Sunday, with a chance of severe thunderstorms. Rogan still plans to attend and serve as a color commentator for the fights.
Support for the Event
Middleweight Ozzy Diaz, who is not attending but said he will be watching, told HuffPost he’s not concerned with the outside factors. “You’re not going to be thinking about the flies or nothing, you’re going to adjust,” Diaz said. “I think it won’t play too much of a factor because what are you going to worry about? The lights, or someone trying to kill you? What’s your real worry? That’s the way I look at it.”
Diaz said he supports the event, calling it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the fighters. “At the end of the day, to fight at The White House, where all presidents were, that’s badass,” he said. “Beyond politics and stuff like that, that’s pretty badass.”
Diaz also complimented White, who has been hyping the event for months. “That’s why I love UFC,” Diaz said. “That’s why I’m a fan of Dana, because he’s a fucking gangster, you know?”
