Dana White says there is a much less dramatic explanation for the storm that appeared ready to hammer UFC Freedom 250 before largely missing the White House, the weather simply changed.
The UFC CEO addressed an online conspiracy theory during a new interview with TMZ Sports. The theory claimed that the U.S. government had somehow used secret military weather-modification technology to divert severe weather away from the June 14 event.
The concern about the weather itself was real. Ahead of the outdoor card, the National Weather Service forecast a 60% chance of precipitation in Washington, D.C., with showers, thunderstorms and potentially strong winds in the hours surrounding the fights, according to Forbes.
White said there was no secret intervention. He insisted that organizers expected the storm to reach them and said President Donald Trump believed the same thing as meteorologists tracked the system approaching Washington.
White Says Military Meteorologists Expected the Storm to HitWhite said the UFC was not relying on an ordinary television forecast while preparing one of the most complicated outdoor events in company history. "We weren't using like the Channel 4 weather guy, right?" White told TMZ Sports. "We had military meteorologists all over this thing."
According to White, those forecasters expected the approaching weather to reach the White House. "We thought it was hitting us. The president thought it was hitting us," he said. "This meteorologist was telling us we're going to get hit." That is why White rejected the suggestion that the military was secretly manipulating the same weather system its meteorologists were warning organizers about. "I can promise you that did not happen," he said.
TMZ reported that the conspiracy theory gained traction online after the storm system approaching Washington appeared to split before delivering the direct hit some observers expected. White said he understood how an unusual-looking development could fuel speculation but maintained that no military weather intervention occurred.
"I get how these things happen and how they start," he said. "There was absolutely no military, you know, right? We thought we were getting hit."
The Weather Threat Was Serious Enough to Delay the Fights View this post on InstagramFreedom 250 did not escape the weather problem entirely. The UFC delayed the start of the seven-fight card by approximately an hour as thunderstorms threatened Washington. The fights had originally been scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET, but the first bout was pushed to around 9 p.m.
Lightning and high winds were among the biggest safety concerns. Before the event, UFC chief content officer Craig Borsari said high winds or lightning within eight miles of the venue would trigger a delay. White had similarly said ordinary rain would not necessarily stop the event.
"Lightning is the only thing," he said before fight night. "We'd have to wait it out ... and then do the fight." A massive 92-foot canopy had been constructed over the Octagon and portions of the temporary arena, giving the cage protection from light or moderate rain. Lightning, however, required a different safety response.
The forecast looked particularly difficult before fight night. The National Weather Service expected a Washington high of 94 degrees, a 60% chance of precipitation and possible thunderstorms. Forbes reported that showers were considered likely after 5 p.m., with wind gusts potentially reaching 23 mph.
Freedom 250 Eventually Went Ahead on the White House LawnOnce the weather threat eased, the UFC proceeded with its unprecedented event on the South Lawn. Trump and White walked through the White House before appearing together on the Blue Room Balcony for the national anthem. The night also included military pageantry, with the Navy's Blue Angels and Air Force Thunderbirds performing a joint flyover.
The event was staged partly around Trump's 80th birthday and as part of celebrations surrounding the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. More than $60 million and tens of thousands of hours of work went into constructing the temporary venue, according to reporting by the Associated Press, citing a National Park Service court filing.
The seven-fight card ended with two new champions. Justin Gaethje defeated Ilia Topuria by fourth-round corner stoppage to win the undisputed UFC lightweight championship. Earlier, Ciryl Gane stopped Alex Pereira 1:27 into the second round to capture the interim heavyweight title.
Between the cost, logistics and weather headaches, he said afterward that UFC Freedom 250 would remain a one-time production. "It will never happen again," White said. "I can't afford it. I'll never do the Sphere again and we'll never do this again."
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