UFC Event to Take Place at Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C

A federal judge has denied a legal challenge to the upcoming UFC Freedom 250 event, allowing it to proceed as scheduled. The mixed martial arts bout is set to take place on President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday, part of his plans to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.

The event will feature several high-profile fighters, including unbeaten Georgian-Spanish lightweight belt holder Ilia Topuria and interim champion Justin Gaethje. The two fighters had a tense face-off at their final news conference on Friday, with Topuria shoving Gaethje in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.

Topuria, 29, is coming back from a nearly yearlong hiatus following his highly publicized divorce. He has been widely expected to defeat Gaethje, who is also known for his fearlessness and experience in the cage. The co-main event will be headlined by Alex “Poatan” Pereira’s move up to heavyweight against Ciryl Gane.

The UFC Freedom 250 event will take place inside a specially constructed octagonal cage on the White House’s South Lawn, which has been erected for the occasion. A federal judge had previously ruled that Trump’s administration did not exceed its authority in staging the event, despite two Washington-area residents arguing that it was an unauthorized use of public monuments.

The plaintiffs argued that the event was a case of corruption, as several individuals and companies stood to profit from the event. However, the judge rejected their claims, stating that they had failed to show they were “directly affected” by the defendants’ actions. Lawyers for the plaintiffs expressed disappointment but respect for the ruling.

Source: Al Jazeera