The UFC fights scheduled to take place at the White House on Sunday evening had to be pushed back an hour due to approaching thunderstorms. The seven scheduled fights are expected to go on for approximately four hours, and the UFC is prepared to enforce 30 minute delays for lightning — but the likelihood of thunderstorms in the area was high enough that the organization opted to push everything back one hour. Live coverage was still set to begin at 8p.m. ET, but the first fight was delayed until 9p.m. UFC calls for Freedom 250 delay due to looming thunderstorms https://t.co/sEFx6Mz3aH pic.twitter.com/b3s1JMupZg — New York Post (@nypost) June 14, 2026 As The New York Post reported, “Weather Channel projections called for a 57 percent chance of scattered thunderstorms in the 8 p.m. hour and a 100 percent certainty of thunderstorms in the 9 p.m. hour.” Dana White addressed the possibility of weather-related delays earlier in the week, saying, “I don’t care if it snows, rains, whatever; we’re going. And even lightning. You guys all played sports when you were growing up — whenever there was lightning, you’d sit the lightning out, and then when it was over, you played. That’s what we’ll do.” The Weather Channel posted the forecast earlier on Sunday, prompting a defiant response from the White House: “Rain or shine, we’re celebrating our great country no matter what. GOD BLESS AMERICA!” Eric Trump gave fans a sneak peek of the UFC set-up from the roof of the White House just hours ahead of the event: “All right, guys, UFC starts in a couple hours. Here’s what it looks like from the top of the White House.” pic.twitter.com/NNvczB02Nr — Eric Trump (@EricTrump) June 14, 2026 pic.twitter.com/NNvczB02Nr — Eric Trump (@EricTrump) June 14, 2026 Once the fights get started, any lightning strikes within an eight-mile radius of the White House will trigger an automatic 30-minute delay.