Washington Examiner

The UFC has given a sneak peek inside “the claw,” the imposing stage set up ahead of a historic fight on Sunday night, corresponding with President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday, on the White House South Lawn.

Stepping out of the White House press corridors, one is greeted by a massive, larger-than-life red, white, and blue “UFC FREEDOM 250” medallion. More than $60 million and tens of thousands of hours of labor have been poured into building the arena, according to a court filing from the National Park Service, which oversees the South Lawn and is contesting a lawsuit meant to block the event. The White House says UFC is covering all of the costs.

The octagon is staged dead center in the 4,300-seat outdoor venue. It was built using four 92-foot “claws,” hovering about 22 feet taller than the White House, according to ESPN. They were adorned with white stars against blue up top, with red and white stripes toward the bottom.

Each claw also held giant monitors that read “UFC FREEDOM 250.”

The awnings were equipped with lighting, camera set-ups, and sound, though construction still appeared to be underway as of Thursday. The top of the venue barely covered the outskirt seating, and though it predominantly covered the Octagon and the immediate rows of seats surrounding it, it would hardly protect the match from bad weather.

But no matter where one sits, one can get a clear view of the fighting stage that is set to host the main event on Sunday. All the black chairs were alike in appearance and heavy cushioning, as many members of the press bounced themselves on them. The South Lawn green was also protected with a black, felt-like material, carpeting the whole arena.

From whatever angle one looks at the stage, one can see some semblance of Washington, whether it be the Washington Monument or the White House.

The global magnitude of the UFC Freedom 250 event is undeniable — nearly every major language, from Portuguese to Japanese, could be heard during a press preview Thursday.

There is a packed pre-event schedule that includes a press conference at the Lincoln Memorial with UFC chief Dana White and the fighters on Friday night.

There’s also a ceremonial weigh-in for combatants on Saturday at the Ellipse, a park near the White House, where organizers expect 120,000-plus visitors to watch Sunday night’s proceedings on large screens after winning free tickets in a lottery.

UFC Freedom 250 will stream live on Paramount+ at 6 p.m. MDT on Sunday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report