The UFC is getting closer and closer to making the most surreal and ambitious event in its history a reality: organizing a card in the middle of the South Lawn of the White House. But while the company sells the show as a historic moment for the sport, behind it there is a huge concern related to the security and logistics of the event.
Because setting up a MMA event in one of the most protected places on the planet has absolutely nothing to do with organizing a normal card.
The evening, dubbed UFC Freedom 250, will be held outdoors in Washington D.C. and will feature a gigantic temporary structure built specifically to house the octagon, lighting and thousands of attendees. The first assembly work has already begun and images of cranes and giant structures around the White House have gone viral in the last few hours.
The main problem is precisely that: it will be an outdoor event.
The UFC has been avoiding this type of scenario for years due to the enormous number of variables that are impossible to control. Dana White has publicly acknowledged on several occasions that she does not like outdoor evenings because any small factor can become an operational disaster.
And in the White House the problem is multiplying.
The weather, the wind, possible storms, insects, drones, access, air control, presidential security, evacuations, military perimeters and anti-terrorist protection make the event a real puzzle.
In fact, one of the most talked about topics in recent weeks has been something as seemingly absurd as... mosquitoes.
Dana White recently explained that during a night visit to the Rose Garden area they found a huge number of insects attracted by the lights, something that worries the technical team a lot considering that the event will be held completely outdoors and under gigantic spotlights.
But the real challenge is much higher.
The White House is one of the most protected targets on the planet. Every accessory, guest, worker, journalist, wrestler, and technical member will have to pass extremely strict controls.
In addition, the current political context adds even more tension. Just a few weeks ago, there was an armed incident near the National Mall area and around the White House that even forced the Secret Service to intervene.
That means that the security device around the event is going to be completely extraordinary even by American standards.
Massive presence of the Secret Service, metropolitan police, permanent air control, drone restrictions and military surveillance is expected throughout the perimeter.
The event's own capacity was greatly reduced precisely for security reasons. Although initially there was talk of tens of thousands of people, in the end the main venue will have less than 5,000 attendees, most of them military, political and selected VIP guests.
Still, the UFC also plans fan fest zones and giant screens around the Ellipse with tens of thousands of additional fans following the evening from outside.
That means simultaneously managing several gigantic events around one of the most sensitive places in the world.
In addition, many analysts within the industry believe that the pressure on the UFC will be enormous because any organizational failure would have immediate global repercussions.
And even with all the risks, Dana White seems completely determined to move the project forward.
For the UFC, the event represents much more than just a billboard.
It is a political, media and commercial symbol.
And probably also the biggest logistical challenge the company has ever faced.