UFC’s White House spectacle led to losses of around $30m, company reveals

The UFC staging its Freedom 250 card on the South Lawn of the White House in June led to losses of around $30 million (roughly £22m), the company’s owners announced.

US president Donald Trump, a longtime fan of the UFC, and vice-president JD Vance were in attendance for the event which marked celebrations for 250 years of American independence.

A purpose-built structure was constructed, holding about 4,300 seats, with none available to the public. Invitation-only tickets were reserved for political allies, financial sponsors and members of the military.

Gate revenue contributes substantially to the earnings of an event and an estimated $60m (£44m) was spent on production and overall costs, which the UFC was unable to recoup via sponsorships.

Parent company TKO Group Holdings saw an increase in revenue for the second quarter of 2026 but their financial results said a decrease in profit margin “was entirely due to the financial profile of the UFC Freedom 250 event. Absent Freedom 250, margins would have increased year-over-year.”

Ariel Emanuel, executive chair and CEO of TKO said: “Despite a challenging global environment, TKO delivered solid results in Q2, with strong momentum heading into the back half of the year.”

Freedom 250 garnered 8.2m viewers domestically and around 34m views worldwide, making it one of the most watched mixed martial events of all-time.

The headliner for the UFC lightweight title saw America’s Justin Gaethje produce a stunning upset to dethrone Spain’s Ilia Topuria.

-The Guardian