Celebrities Give Trump the Cold Shoulder for UFC Bash at the White House
Donald Trump’s birthday bash at the White House is turning into a celebrity ghost town, with A-listers like Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Adam Sandler, and Jared Leto all saying no to the invite for UFC Freedom 250.
UFC president Dana White extended personal invitations to these stars, but they all turned him down. The event, set for this Saturday, will not sell tickets to the public. Instead, it’s a closed affair on the South Lawn, where a massive structure has already been erected.
White confirmed that 1,000 tickets are reserved for Trump to distribute, while he holds another 200. The remaining spots will be filled by military personnel, with 5,000 expected to attend. Despite the lack of public access, White encouraged fans to flock to Washington, DC, for related events throughout the weekend.
Other celebrities invited include Mario Lopez, Jason Statham, and Tom Brady. However, reports indicate that many have declined the invitation.
A source close to The Rock told Vanity Fair he won’t be attending. Representatives for Sandler, Leto, and Lopez also confirmed their absence. The White House and UFC have not commented on the guest list.
The octagon is ready for action. White detailed ticket allocation: “There’s a lot of people who hit me up for tickets. We did invites. The president has 1,000. I have 200. [TKO CEO] Ari Emanuel has 200. And the rest are all going to the military. Every branch of the military will be represented at the show.”
Trump expressed interest in keeping the structure on the South Lawn after the event, likening it to the Eiffel Tower. He stated, “I know that in Paris, France, the Eiffel Tower, 1889, it was built. It was supposed to be taken down immediately after the World’s Fair. And then they said, you know, we sort of like it.”
He continued, “Well, they never took it down. And, you know, we’re building something in front of the White House that’s quite attractive to a lot of people.”
The main event features a lightweight championship bout between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje. The co-main event showcases an interim UFC heavyweight championship clash between Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane.
Additional fights include a bantamweight bout with Sean O'Malley facing Aiemann Zahabi, a heavyweight showdown between Josh Hokit and Derrick Lewis, a lightweight match featuring Mauricio Ruffy against Michael Chandler, a middleweight contest with Bo Nickal squaring off against Kyle Daukaus, and a featherweight battle between Diego Lopes and Steve Garcia.
