Washington, D.C. — A federal judge dismissed an attempt to prevent the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event scheduled for this weekend at the White House. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled against an emergency request from two D.C. residents, Susan Douglas and Paul Romano, who aimed to halt the event. They claimed the mixed martial arts fights breached restrictions on White House grounds and that the structure built for the event, dubbed the Claw, was erected illegally.

Judge Mehta determined that the plaintiffs could not prove they would suffer harm from the event and lacked legal standing. The UFC Freedom 250 event takes place on the White House’s South Lawn this Sunday, coinciding with President Trump’s 80th birthday. This forms part of celebrations for the nation’s 250th anniversary.

The event’s preparations at the White House included constructing the Claw, a 92-foot structure encapsulating the Octagon. The event will feature seven fights on Sunday, along with ancillary happenings starting Friday. These include a press conference and fighter face-offs at the Lincoln Memorial, and a ceremonial weigh-in at the UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest on the Ellipse on Saturday, highlighted by a performance from the Zac Brown Band.

About 4,000 attendees are expected on the South Lawn, with an additional 12,000 watching from the Ellipse. The event will be broadcast on Paramount+, owned by Paramount Skydance, which also owns CBS News. Court filings revealed extensive preparations by the White House to host the event, involving over 700 subcontractors and clearance for more than 2,000 participants. UFC and its affiliates spent over $60 million in preparations, according to Andrew Fischer, the director for White House Management and Administration.