From ‘human cockfighting’ to the White House lawn: the stratospheric rise of the UFC’s Dana White

Strange things are afoot at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, giving rise to an obvious question: how did we get here? Rising from the South Lawn of the White House is a 92ft-tall skeletal structure known as “the Claw”. Beneath it sits an octagonal cage surrounded by sponsor logos, temporary grandstands and thousands of seats for a mixed martial arts card on Sunday night to celebrate Donald Trump’s 80th birthday and the Ultimate Fighting Championship brand. The event has prompted comparisons to Idiocracy, Mike Judge’s satire of a future US where politics, entertainment and corporate branding become indistinguishable. Others have gone further, dismissing it as a “kleptocratic spectacle”. Continue reading...

Bryan Armen Graham · Sun, Jun 14, 2026, 3:00 AM
US news | The Guardian

From ‘human cockfighting’ to the White House lawn: the stratospheric rise of the UFC’s Dana White

Strange things are afoot at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, giving rise to an obvious question: how did we get here?

Rising from the South Lawn of the White House is a 92ft-tall skeletal structure known as “the Claw”. Beneath it sits an octagonal cage surrounded by sponsor logos, temporary grandstands and thousands of seats for a mixed martial arts card on Sunday night to celebrate Donald Trump’s 80th birthday and the Ultimate Fighting Championship brand.

The event has prompted comparisons to Idiocracy, Mike Judge’s satire of a future US where politics, entertainment and corporate branding become indistinguishable. Others have gone further, dismissing it as a “kleptocratic spectacle”.

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