Judge Amit P. Mehta rejected an emergency motion Friday to stop the Ultimate Fighting Championship event planned for the White House South Lawn this Sunday, coinciding with President Trump's birthday. The ruling found that plaintiffs Susan Douglas and Paul Romano failed to demonstrate sufficient legal standing or irreparable harm from the one-off fight.

The lawsuit argued that using iconic government sites for a commercial event improperly benefited UFC and its president Dana White, a longtime Trump ally. However, Judge Mehta noted the extensive preparations already underway, including between 700 to 900 workers and site work beginning May 20. The Justice Department emphasized the event's role in celebrating the 250th anniversary of American independence.

Trump's financial ties to the promotion run deep—he holds stock in TKO Holdings, UFC's parent company, and has attended fights regularly during campaigns. Organizers have invested over $60 million in the spectacle, featuring a 92-foot steel lighting grid dubbed 'the claw' rising above the Executive Mansion.

Government lawyers argued that halting the event would waste substantial resources and disappoint attendees who booked travel for the celebration. The ruling clears the way for Sunday's fight unless weather intervenes, as storms threaten the area.