The Lincoln Memorial has hosted civil rights speeches, presidential inaugurations, and now — UFC fighters jogging down its marble steps to the roar of thousands. Tracy Philbeck and his son Levi drove up from Charlotte, North Carolina, to support American lightweight contender Justin Gaethje. Ellie Louizes, a Muay Thai and jiu-jitsu practitioner, made the trip from Daytona Beach. David Halstead flew in from Albany, Western Australia. The fan base at this historic event looked a lot like MMA itself: loud, diverse, and impossible to put in a box.

The White House UFC weekend has also stirred real controversy. The Public Integrity Project filed a lawsuit calling it a 'private, commercial, corrupt use of our most sacred national monuments.' A federal judge cleared the event to proceed Friday. Fans at the Lincoln Memorial largely shrugged off the criticism — many pointing out that President Teddy Roosevelt held regular sparring sessions at the White House more than a century ago.

How Well Do You Know the UFC?

Five questions. Surprising answers guaranteed.

Roughly what share of American adults consider themselves MMA fans?

• About 1 in 3 — Not quite — MMA is more niche than that. Only about 1 in 10 U.S. adults self-identify as fans, according to Ipsos Sports polling.
• About 1 in 10 — Exactly right. MMA punches above its weight culturally, but the actual fan base is a passionate minority — roughly 10% of U.S. adults.
• About 1 in 4 — Closer, but still higher than the real number. Ipsos Sports found that only about 10% of U.S. adults call themselves MMA fans.
• About 1 in 50 — MMA is bigger than that — about 1 in 10 Americans are fans. That's still a fierce, dedicated minority filling arenas and PPV buys.

Which U.S. President was a well-known boxing enthusiast who regularly sparred at the White House?

• Abraham Lincoln — Lincoln was actually a celebrated wrestler — he reportedly lost only one match in his life. But it's Theodore Roosevelt who was the boxing president.
• Theodore Roosevelt — Correct! Roosevelt boxed at Harvard and continued sparring throughout his presidency. Fans this weekend cited his White House boxing sessions as historical precedent for Sunday's event.
• John F. Kennedy — JFK was a decorated Navy officer and avid sailor, but the boxing president was Teddy Roosevelt, who reportedly sparred until he lost sight in one eye from a White House session.
• Gerald Ford — Ford was an All-American college football player — but the boxing president was Teddy Roosevelt, who trained at Harvard and kept sparring well into his White House years.

According to Ipsos Sports data, MMA fans are more likely to identify as:

• Democrats — The polling actually shows MMA fans skew Republican — though the fanbase is diverse and one fan at the Lincoln Memorial event pushed back on the stereotype that all UFC fans are Trump supporters.
• Republicans — That's what the Ipsos data shows. But as Ricardo Rodriguez, 24, put it at the event: 'One misconception is that everyone who watches UFC is a Trump supporter — but that's not the case.'
• Equal split — Close, but the polling skews Republican. Even so, fans at the Lincoln Memorial this weekend reflected a wide range of backgrounds and motivations for loving the sport.
• Independents — The Ipsos data points toward Republican lean — but the fanbase is more complex than any one label. Multiple fans at the event this weekend made that point themselves.

What is Ilia Topuria's nationality in Sunday's main event?

• Russian — Topuria is Georgian — born in Germany and representing the nation of Georgia in the Caucasus region. He'll face American Justin Gaethje for the lightweight title on Sunday.
• Georgian — Correct — Ilia Topuria represents Georgia, making Sunday's bout a true America-vs.-the-world matchup for the lightweight title at the White House.
• Brazilian — Brazil has produced many UFC champions, but Topuria is Georgian. He was born in Germany and fights under the Georgian flag against American Justin Gaethje on Sunday.
• Spanish — Topuria actually trains in Spain and speaks Spanish fluently, which has led to some confusion — but he's Georgian by nationality and represents Georgia in Sunday's bout.

The UFC event this weekend is timed to two milestones. Which are they?

• UFC's 30th anniversary and July 4th — Close but not the specific milestones cited. The event marks America's 250th anniversary (its semiquincentennial) and President Trump's 80th birthday — both happening this week.
• America's 250th anniversary and Trump's 80th birthday — Exactly right. The UFC billed the White House weekend as tied to the nation's semiquincentennial and President Trump's milestone birthday — a combination that made the event feel unprecedented to fans who traveled from around the world.
• Independence Day and the UFC Hall of Fame induction — The July 4th timing is close — America's 250th is being celebrated this week — but the specific milestones were the 250th national anniversary and President Trump's 80th birthday.
• Trump's re-election and the summer solstice — Not quite. The event marks America's 250th anniversary and President Trump's 80th birthday — a rare overlap of national and political milestones that the UFC used to frame the weekend as historic.

That mix of passionate insiders and wide-eyed newcomers is exactly what the UFC had in mind when it chose the White House lawn as Sunday's venue. UFC fighters also spent part of the week giving back locally — visiting D.C.'s Midtown Youth Academy, where fighter Randy Brown sparred with more than a dozen local teenagers. The gym's executive director, Gloria Lee, admitted she hadn't watched much UFC before. By the end of Brown's visit, she climbed into the ring herself and threw a few punches. That story — sport as community connector — is one the UFC wants told alongside the spectacle.

Female fans remain a minority in MMA, but they're a growing one. Ellie Louizes, who trains in Muay Thai and jiu-jitsu, drove up from Daytona Beach with her boyfriend and offered a perspective rarely captured in the crowd shots: women who don't just watch, but train. 'Female fighters are often way more aggressive than the men,' she said. The White House weekend may be the biggest UFC production ever — but the most interesting story is still the fans in the crowd.

UFC Fan Demographics vs. General U.S. Sports Fan

One misconception is that everyone who watches UFC is a Trump supporter — but that's not the case.Ricardo Rodriguez, 24, UFC fan at the Lincoln Memorial

UFC White House Weekend: Fact vs. Fiction

Holding fights at the White House is unprecedented in American history.

Verdict: mostly true

No formal prizefights have ever been held at the White House before. However, President Teddy Roosevelt regularly held private sparring sessions on the grounds — a precedent fans cited this weekend in D.C.

All UFC fans are Trump supporters.

Verdict: false

Ipsos Sports polling shows MMA fans lean Republican more than the general population — but attendees at the Lincoln Memorial event explicitly pushed back on this stereotype. The fan base spans political identities.

A federal judge blocked the White House UFC event.

Verdict: false

A federal judge ruled on Friday that the event could proceed on federal land, rejecting the lawsuit filed by the Public Integrity Project. The bouts went forward as planned on Sunday.

UFC spent $60 million on this weekend's festivities.

Verdict: true

The UFC publicly stated it spent $60 million on the White House weekend production — making it one of the most expensive single-event productions in combat sports history.

The White House Fight Weekend — By the Numbers

• $60M — UFC Production Spend
• 250 — Years of U.S. History
• ~10% — Americans Who Are MMA Fans
• 12+ — D.C. Youth Sparred Randy Brown

Whether you're a die-hard who knows every fighter's record or someone who just discovered the sport exists, this weekend proved one thing: UFC has found a way to turn combat sports into a cultural moment. The Lincoln Memorial press conference, the community visits, the D.C. fans who stayed outside through a thunderstorm — all of it points to a fan base that's smaller than the NFL's but just as intense.

The White House event matters to America not because of the politics swirling around it, but because of what it reveals about how sports and national identity intersect. When a kid at a D.C. boxing gym gets in the ring with a professional UFC fighter — and the gym director follows right behind her — that's the version of this story worth remembering.

New to UFC? Here's How to Get Into It

1. Start with the weight classes — UFC has 12 divisions. Sunday's headliner is lightweight (155 lbs) — one of the most exciting. Pick a weight class you like and follow just those fighters first.
2. Learn the three ways to win — Knockout (KO), submission (tap out), or judges' decision. Most casual fans expect a KO every fight — but submissions and decisions tell just as much of the story.
3. Find a fighter with a backstory — Justin Gaethje is a crowd-favorite American from Colorado. Ilia Topuria is a Georgian immigrant who learned English through YouTube. Every fighter has a journey — find one that resonates.
4. Watch one free prelim before paying for PPV — UFC posts preliminary fights on ESPN and social channels. Watch a few free before investing in a pay-per-view card. The prelims often have the best value bouts.
5. Look for a local gym or watch party — Many MMA gyms host UFC watch parties. Like Gloria Lee at D.C.'s Midtown Youth Academy found out — sometimes you end up in the ring yourself.

Watch Sunday's White House Fights

• How to Watch: The White House card airs Sunday on ESPN+ PPV. Early prelims are available on ESPN and the UFC Fight Pass app.
• The Main Event: Lightweight Title: Justin Gaethje (USA) vs. Ilia Topuria (Georgia) — happening outside the White House, Washington, D.C.
• Local Youth Boxing: UFC visited D.C.'s Midtown Youth Academy this week. Find MMA and boxing gyms near you for free or low-cost training programs.

Sources & References

• Primary source: sports — AP via Scripps News Group
• Ipsos Sports — MMA fan demographic polling — share of U.S. adults, gender skew, political affiliation, February–March 2025
• UFC / ESPN — Event production budget ($60M) and White House fight card details
• AP via Scripps News — Reporting on Lincoln Memorial press conference, fan interviews, Midtown Youth Academy visit, and federal court ruling on the White House event
• Public Integrity Project — Lawsuit filing and claims regarding commercial use of federal national monument grounds