With the UFC’s White House event just around the corner, questions around security have naturally arisen – especially due to past assassination attempts against US president Donald Trump, and a recent shooting near the building.
In late April, a man was charged with attempted assassination after allegedly firing a gun at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, where Mr Trump was sat on stage. Suspect Cole Allen pleaded not guilty this month.
Then, on 23 May, a gunman was shot dead by Secret Service agents in an exchange of fire at a White House security checkpoint. Mr Trump was at the White House at the time but was unharmed, and he soon thanked officers for a “swift and professional” response to the incident. One bystander was wounded, however.
On 14 June, when the UFC hosts an unprecedented fight card on the South Lawn, the president is expected to be cageside, as he has been at numerous UFC events in the past.
During UFC cards, Mr Trump – who will celebrate his 80th birthday on the day of the fights, which are intended as a celebration of 250 years of the US – typically sits next to UFC president and CEO Dana White, a close friend of his.
However, there are naturally concerns around general safety ahead of the White House fights, which will be attended by “4,300 people” and most of whom “will be military”, according to White. He also said there will be 85,000 attendees in the nearby Ellipse park, with those fans receiving free tickets.
It is unclear which security measures will be in place for the White House event, but Mr Trump is typically accompanied by Secret Service agents at UFC shows.
Furthermore, during early planning for the White House event, White said in September: “The last time I was at the White House, I went up on the roof of the White House, and they’ve got snipers with .50 cals all over the roof of the White House.
“It’s pretty crazy. But yes, I mean, the security is gonna be a massive issue, because at the end of the day, Secret Service’s job is to protect the president.”
White’s comments came on the same day that Charlie Kirk – a right-wing political activist and ally of Trump – was fatally shot at a Utah college campus.
And White’s point about the Secret Service would prove pertinent come April, when one such officer was allegedly shot during the attack at the Correspondents’ Dinner. The Secret Service member was said to be wearing a bullet-resistant vest and survived the incident. Alleged shooter Allen, 31, was later charged on several counts.
The Secret Service was then needed again this month, when 21-year-old suspect Nasire Best fired a weapon at the afore-mentioned White House checkpoint.
On 14 June, the UFC card’s will consist of seven fights, six of which will feature American athletes.
The main event will pit lightweight champion Ilia Topuria against interim-title holder and homegrown talent Justin Gaethje, after Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane clash over the interim heavyweight belt.
Alongside Gaethje, the other US stars in action will be Sean O’Malley, Michael Chandler, Steve Garcia, Josh Hokit, Derrick Lewis, Kyle Daukaus and Bo Nickal.
Hokit will fight Lewis and Daukaus will face Nickal in the only all-American bouts on the card. Meanwhile, O’Malley takes on Aiemann Zahabi (Canada), Chandler fights Mauricio Ruffy (Brazil), and Garcia faces Diego Lopes (Brazil).
Topuria is Spanish-Georgian, while Pereira represents Brazil and Gane is a French fighter.
