UMVA has learned that a jaw-dropping birthday spectacle is set to unfold on the storied South Lawn of the White House, as Donald Trump celebrates his 80th birthday in a way that's quintessentially him - with a cage-fighting show.
The president will be surrounded by cabinet leaders, top administration officials, Republican lawmakers, and over 4,000 screaming spectators as the UFC fight kicks off at the specially erected arena tonight. Thousands more will be watching on big screens from the nearby Ellipse, all adding to the electric atmosphere.
But the event is already facing hurdles, with 'extreme' thunderstorms and possible swarms of insects forecasted to hit Washington. A federal judge has also rejected an attempt to block the fight, which was claimed to be part of a 'deeply corrupt' scheme to enrich Trump's allies.
One fighter taking part in the event, heavyweight Derrick Lewis, has branded it a 'distraction' - but a good one, it seems. 'The country needs something like this,' Lewis said. 'We can distract the American people from all that's going on.'
Lewis, who will compete against Josh Hokit, added that he's happy to be part of American history. 'This is one of the events they'll be talking about 100 years from now,' he said, highlighting the significance of the event.
The UFC fight, which features seven fights running past midnight, is set to be a key part of Trump's 250th-anniversary celebrations of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. However, it's clear that the event is more geared toward celebrating the president himself.
The G7 summit for leaders of industrialized nations even pushed back their meetings in France so the president could attend his cage-match party before hopping on a plane across the Atlantic. It's a move that's raised eyebrows and sparked debate.
To mark his birthday, Trump shared a series of throwback photos and an AI-generated image on Truth Social, along with some bold claims about his accomplishments. One photo showed a younger Trump posing on a chair, which he captioned: 'Years ago after saving the Wollman Skating Rink in Central Park - Long before I fixed The Reflecting Pool, and everything else in Washington, D.C., including, most importantly, CRIME!'
He also shared an AI-generated image of himself wearing a jacket reading 'commander-in-chief', observing drills on US Navy ships as rockets flew above him. The image was captioned: 'You're getting discombobulated.'
As Trump's birthday spectacle approaches, questions about his health continue to linger. Earlier this year, the president underwent a CT scan and heart imaging, along with cancer screenings and other preventative assessments carried out by 22 specialists.
The results deemed him 'fully fit' to serve, despite repeated testing. Trump has also claimed to have scored a perfect 30 out of 30 on a 'high difficulty' cognitive test, which has raised some eyebrows among medical experts.
Dr Jonathan Reiner, Professor of Medicine and Surgery, has questioned why Trump has been subjected to the test four times. The issue has sparked concerns and debate about the president's health and fitness for office.
