Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday likened the Ultimate Fighting Championship to America's 1969 moon landing, as he and UFC president Dana White signed a memorandum of understanding to formalize a public-private partnership ahead of this weekend's UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House.
"When President Kennedy announced that we were going to put a man on the moon and return him safely to the earth, no one thought that was possible, and we did it," Rubio told reporters during the signing ceremony. "We are a nation founded on doing what no one else dared to do, and no one else aspired to do. And at some level, that's what this whole company, what UFC has been."
The event, scheduled for Sunday on President Trump's birthday, will feature a temporary 4,500-seat arena erected on the South Lawn. Trump, a longtime fan of the sport and close ally of White, directed the construction, which began in late May. The president has compared the structure to the Eiffel Tower and floated the idea of making the ring a permanent fixture at the White House.
Rubio described the mixed martial arts organization as the "United Nations of fighting" during the ceremony, underscoring the administration's framing of the event as a celebration of American innovation and grit. The fight night is part of a broader series of events marking the nation's 250th birthday.
In a lighter moment, Rubio joked that the arena could host weekly bouts between political rivals. "Maybe we'll just host weekly fights between people in politics, you know, and settle our scores that way," he said.
The partnership has drawn scrutiny from ethics watchdogs, particularly given the close ties between Trump and White. The president has said that "massive screens" on The Ellipse will allow up to 100,000 spectators to watch the fights live.
Earlier this week, Rubio signed off on the UFC pact amid lingering ethics questions about the use of federal property for a private sporting event. The administration has defended the arrangement as a patriotic celebration.
Rubio's comparison of the combat sports league to one of humanity's greatest technological achievements drew mixed reactions in political circles, with some praising his rhetorical flair and others questioning the proportionality of the analogy.
The UFC Freedom 250 event is expected to draw thousands of attendees and significant media attention, further blurring the lines between political spectacle, sports entertainment, and diplomatic outreach.
