Dana White says gnats overwhelmed Trump Rose Garden dinner, raises concerns for UFC outdoor event

WASHINGTON, DC: Dana White says gnats at President Donald Trump’s White House Rose Garden dinner raised fresh concerns about hosting an outdoor UFC event in Washington, D.C.

The UFC boss revealed this week that what was supposed to be an elegant evening at the newly reopened Rose Garden quickly turned into a bug-filled reality check that has him rethinking the headaches that come with staging fights outdoors on the East Coast.

Gnats, lights, and an outdoor nightmare

Speaking with Boardroom host Rich Kleiman, White said the issue became impossible to ignore the moment he arrived at the dinner hosted by Trump.

“Another problem that I always think about, especially on the East Coast, bugs,” White admitted.

“President Trump just opened the Rose Garden two nights ago and he invited me to dinner there. The amount of gnats that were flying around … I’m like, ‘Holy s--t.’ As soon as I got on the plane, I called my head of production and said, ‘Yeah, let me tell you about the gnat situation tonight.’”

For White, the concern wasn’t simply about guests swatting bugs away over dinner. His mind immediately jumped to production logistics for the UFC card tied to the America 250 celebration next June, particularly if the promotion moves ahead with plans for a massive event at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

White said the lighting rigs alone could become a magnet for every flying insect in the area.

“So when you’re a fighter, think about that lighting grid, the claw that we’re gonna have, the amount of power in the lights,” White continued. “Moths, gnats, and God knows what else — fighters trying to deal with that. In your mouth, up your nose while you’re trying to fight. Maybe we put fans in because gnats have a hard time with the wind. These are all the little details that we have to think about. That’s why I don’t like fighting outside. Ever.”

Dana White touts historic DC card, luxury tickets

Despite the concerns, White has continued hyping the proposed America 250 event as one of the biggest spectacles the UFC has ever attempted.

White previously said, “If you are a fan of the UFC, and especially if you have never been to Washington, D.C., we’re going to give away about 85,000 tickets and there’s a process you have to register for tickets and they’re free, but you should come to Washington, D.C., that week, the week of the fight.”

“We’re going to be doing all kinds of things in D.C. for fans and it’s really a cool city for probably most people have never been and if you’re a UFC fan, this is absolutely, positively the time to come to D.C.,” he added.

The card is expected to take place on June 14 at the South Lawn and is largely being billed as a tribute to the US military. With anticipation building around the event. White also revealed plans for a limited number of ultra-luxury tickets reportedly priced at a staggering $1.5 million.

Even with those coveted seats, White stressed that the bulk of attendance is reserved for members of the military, with invitations tightly controlled between UFC leadership and the White House.

Speaking to TMZ Sports in New York City, White detailed how tickets are being divided up between himself, TKO leadership, and Trump.

“There are a lot of people who hit me up for tickets. We did invites,” White said. “The president [Donald Trump] has 1,000. I have 200. [TKO CEO] Ari Emanuel has 200. And the rest are all going to the military. Every branch of the military will be represented at the show.”

Apart from the invites and military attendance, White confirmed that no additional tickets will be sold for the June 14 fight card at the South Lawn.