White House UFC event can proceed, judge rules
Key takeaways
- "The court rightly rejected an untimely and frivolous effort to halt the historic UFC event hosted to honor the 250th anniversary of our Nation," White House spokesman Davis Ingle wrote in a statement to ESPN.
- Mehta also wrote the late nature of the suit, which was filed over the weekend by the Public Integrity Project, "though not dispositive, undercuts their claims of irreparable harm."
- The fight weekend will have a press conference at the Lincoln Memorial on Friday, ceremonial weigh-ins on the Ellipse on Saturday and the fight card on the White House South Lawn on Sunday.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
Judge Amit P. Mehta, a judge in the federal district court in the District of Columbia, ruled that the injunction filed by the Public Integrity Project failed "to establish" irreparable harm or an aesthetic (loss of enjoyment) injury to the plaintiffs needed to create standing allowing the case to go forward.
"The court rightly rejected an untimely and frivolous effort to halt the historic UFC event hosted to honor the 250th anniversary of our Nation," White House spokesman Davis Ingle wrote in a statement to ESPN. "The White House is thankful for this correct decision and looks forward to hosting this once-in-a-lifetime celebration on the South Lawn."
The court ruled that neither plaintiff in the case showed they were "directly affected" by the actions of the Department of Interior and National Park Service, the two listed defendants in the case, by allowing the UFC card to happen. Mehta also wrote the late nature of the suit, which was filed over the weekend by the Public Integrity Project, "though not dispositive, undercuts their claims of irreparable harm."