UFC says White House fights will get ABC sanctioning amid regulatory concerns raised by D.C. commission

All bouts at the UFC's White House event on June 14 will be officially licensed and sanctioned, the UFC announced in a press release Thursday. With the fight card taking place on federal land, no state athletic commission is required, the organization said in the statement, but the Association of Boxing Commissions has agreed to "serve as an independent third party to advise on the regulatory operations" for the event.

Concerns about the regulatory status of the event, which the fight promotion has dubbed UFC Freedom 250, were raised in a Washington Post story earlier this week. Andrew Huff, head of the District of Columbia Combat Sports Commission, expressed frustration that the commission wasn't involved in the planning or the operation of the event.

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"We don't know anything," Huff told the Washington Post. "Every promoter in the District of Columbia should be and is held to the same standard, whether you're putting on a small wrestling show or a major event."

Ilia Topuria is one of the main attractions at the White House card. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images)Ian Maule via Getty Images

With the UFC event taking place at the White House, which is federal property, there's no requirement for a state athletic commission to be involved. The UFC has acted as its own regulator many times over the years, especially when operating in countries or jurisdictions that have no regulatory bodies of their own to oversee MMA events.

Still, Huff suggested that without a permit and commission oversight, the bouts at the UFC White House event should perhaps be considered unsanctioned exhibitions. He also expressed concern about the precedent this event might set for other promoters to use federal land as a loophole to avoid regulation

"What happens when someone puts on a boxing match in Malcom X Park?" Huff said. "They don't need to get us involved?"

According to the statement released by the UFC, chief business officer Hunter Campbell and senior vice president for regulatory affairs Marc Ratner will "collaborate with ABC on the details of the regulatory oversight of the event."

ABC president Timothy Shipman expressed support for the plan, adding that all the fights at the UFC White House event "are officially licensed and sanctioned events," despite the lack of a state athletic commission.

"As the event is being held on federal property, there is no requirement for the UFC to select a state athletic commission to oversee the event," Shipman said in the statement. “The UFC expresses its commitment to ensuring that this event is among the most thoroughly regulated in the history of the sport and has requested that the ABC serve as an independent third party to assist in assembling the most qualified group of judges, referees, and inspectors in the world."

In comments to The Athletic, Huff still seemed displeased with the arrangement, noting that the D.C. commission has overseen everything from UFC to WWE events, along with many fight cards put on by smaller promoters. The commission has "seen it all," Huff said, "except this."

“The ABC is not a sanctioning body and has no authority in the District of Columbia,” Huff said in a statement following this latest UFC announcement. “While I am relieved to learn that an additional organization will maintain some sort of oversight of the UFC White House event, I am disappointed that the ABC, which represents Commissions across the United States, including in the District of Columbia, has chosen to ignore our Commission’s laws and authority. It sets a dangerous precedent for all Commissions and the industry as a whole.”

The event is currently expected to feature a total of six fights, including two UFC title fights. UFC lightweight champ Ilia Topuria is slated to defend his 155-pound belt against interim champion Justin Gaethje, while former middleweight and light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira is moving up to heavyweight to face Ciryl Gane in an interim title bout.

It's the first MMA event of its kind, with the UFC expected to construct a small arena on the White House lawn that can accommodate several thousand spectators. Broadcast plans for the event have yet to be solidified, but UFC officials have suggested that portions of the fight card may air on both CBS and Paramount+.

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