BIG NUMBER
70%. That’s the chance of rain in Washington at 8 p.m., according to Capital Weather, with high humidity making the forecasted temperatures of the mid-80s at the time feel more like 90.
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Will There Be Bugs?
“The three big problems, as far as I am seeing right now, are rain, lightning and a ton of bugs,” UFC CEO Dana White told the Hollywood Reporter in a profile earlier this month. White told the entertainment publication he previously attended a Rose Garden dinner in May where “clusters” of black gnats attacked guests. Speaking to the Boardroom podcast in May, White said he spoke to his head of production about the problem immediately after the dinner. “When you’re a fighter, think about that lighting grid,” White said. “The amount of power in the lights, moths, gnats, and god knows what else.” Later, he admitted dealing with issues like insects is “why I don’t like fighting outside, ever.” An entomologist who spoke to Axios said he expected a “100%” chance of bugs on Sunday night, including mosquitos, mayflies, moths and even possibly biting black flies.
Will The Fight Be Delayed?
Even with the potential for thunderstorms, it’s unlikely the White House or UFC is planning to reschedule the event. “I don’t care if it snows, rains, we’re going,” White told the Associated Press last week. “Even lightning. You guys all played sports when you were growing up. Whenever there was lightning, you’d sit the lightning out. When it was over, you played. That’s what we’ll do.” The White House did not immediately return a request for comment from Forbes, but blasted the Weather Channel for warning of a “chaotic weather setup,” saying the event would go on “rain or shine.”
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Key Background
White, who has run the UFC since 2001, is a prominent Trump supporter, and has spoken at multiple rallies and events for the president. At the 2016 Republican National Convention, White cast Trump as a crucial ally for the sport in its early days. “In 2001 my partners and I bought the UFC and it was basically considered a blood sport. State athletic commissions didn’t support us, arenas around the world refused to host our events. Nobody took us seriously, nobody except Donald Trump.” White has remained a close ally to the president, and the Trump administration began planning a UFC bout on the White House lawn last year during his first year back in office. The National Park Service is reportedly using about $67 million in funds from national park entrance fees to pay for the event, the New York Times reported last month citing court filings.
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Further Reading
ForbesInside Dana White’s $60 Million Plan To Stage UFC Freedom 250 At The White HouseBy Matt Craig