Dana White Reveals an Uncanny Issue Still Unresolved for the Upcoming UFC Freedom 250 Card

Dana White just revealed an unusual issue plaguing UFC Freedom 250 that remains unresolved less than a month away from the card.

Dana White Reveals an Uncanny Issue Still Unresolved for the Upcoming UFC Freedom 250 Card

Dana White reveals an unusual issue plaguing UFC Freedom 250 [via Graciemag]

In Short
  • Dana White reveals a gnat problem at the White House for the upcoming UFC Freedom 250 card.
  • The UFC is considering installing fans to mitigate the bug issue during the outdoor event.
  • Lightning is the only weather condition that could halt the fight card, according to Dana White.

The UFC puts on dozens of shows each year with incredibly high production value. Yet, despite all their expertise and experience, it appears the company has run into a problem heading into the White House card. Moreover, UFC CEO Dana White revealed that they remain confounded by the situation less than a month away from the card.

The UFC is set to make history this June by becoming the first-ever live sports event to emanate from the Presidential residence. The event itself will take place on the South Lawn of the White House to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence. However, the UFC CEO has admitted that bugs may mar the momentous occasion on June 14.

White revealed to Boardroom’s Rich Kleiman that he found out how pressing the situation around the White House really was during a recent visit. It appears he is already working with the UFC production team on a solution. Even so, the UFC CEO lamented these logistical nightmares, citing them as the reason why he hated outdoor fights.

President Trump just opened the Rose Garden two nights ago and he invited me to dinner there. The amount of gnats that were flying around… As soon as I got on the plane, I called my head production and said, ‘Yeah, let me tell you about the gnat situation tonight…These are all the little details that we have to think about.’ That’s why I don’t like fighting outside. Ever.

Dana White via Boardroom

Despite being so close to the card that the fight kits are out already, it appears the UFC had not yet accounted for this critical problem. But as the UFC CEO said, issues like this are exclusive to outdoor events.

Even so, he revealed that the UFC production team are looking into the issue. It appears they have discussed installing fans at head-height to blow the bugs away. Still, they will want to avoid logistical issues affecting fighters as they did at the Sphere.

Nonetheless, bugs may not be the only hindrance to this rare outdoor UFC event. Dana White revealed another issue that may pop up during the card. However, unlike the bug issue, this might halt the card altogether if it occurs.

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Dana White earlier confessed that lightning could derail UFC Freedom 250

The UFC Freedom 250 card is different from other events that the promotion hosts. Not only is the fight card itself more limited, with no preliminary card, but the event’s venue is definitely a huge change of pace for the UFC. The White House’s South Lawn, with its outdoor setting in downtown Washington, D.C., presents new issues that the MMA giant has not tackled before.

Dana White
Dana White (Image via BBC)

The gnat situation is just one such example. Moreover, Dana White did not seem to be too peeved by it as he revealed the UFC’s efforts towards finding a solution. However, during a Kick livestream with Adin Ross, he revealed that there was one factor that could cause the UFC to temporarily halt the fight card.

If it snows, we’re fighting. We’re fighting…Lightning is the only thing and what we’d have to do is just wait it out. We’d have to wait the lightning out and then do the fight.

Dana White via Adin Ross stream

The upcoming UFC White House event will be under much more scrutiny compared to a run-of-the-mill fight card. This comes especially after the 56-year-old promoter’s promise that this event would be grander than the one at the Sphere back in 2024.

With the UFC CEO setting the bar so high, the promotion will have little margin for error on June 14. It will be interesting to see whether all the issues that White mentioned during this recent Boardroom interview will be mitigated by the time the card rolls around.

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