Overview
- A public interest law firm filed a federal complaint over the weekend in D.C. on behalf of two Virginia residents asking a judge to issue a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to stop the June 14 card.
- The court filing alleges three core legal defects: National Park Service permitting rules bar sporting events on the sites used, the 600-ton temporary structure known as “The Claw” lacks required congressional authorization, and no National Environmental Policy Act review was completed before construction.
- UFC and its CEO Dana White have completed the South Lawn build, announced “The Claw is LIVE,” and say the promotion is spending about $60 million and will pay to restore the lawn after the show.
- The White House called the lawsuit obstructionist and baseless, and the case—assigned to U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta—could produce a ruling this week that determines whether the event goes forward as planned.
- If the injunction is denied the card will proceed on June 14 with Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje and Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane headlining and the dispute will likely shape future limits on commercial use of national monuments.