UFC President Dana White has firmly rejected conspiracy theories circulating online that suggest government intervention manipulated weather conditions during the historic Freedom 250 event in Washington, D.C.
The controversy erupted after a significant storm system approached the nation's capital before the unprecedented event at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, only to unexpectedly divide just before reaching the venue. The dramatic weather shift sparked widespread speculation across social media platforms, particularly Reddit, where users accused the United States government of deploying classified military weather-modification technology to ensure clear skies for the fights.
"I can promise you that did not happen," White told TMZ.com during a conversation with Babcock this week.
The UFC executive explained that both he and the president anticipated the storm would strike the event. White emphasized the sophistication of the meteorological resources employed for the occasion, noting they relied on military meteorologists rather than civilian weather forecasters.
"We weren't using like the Channel 4 weather guy, right? We had military meteorologists all over this thing and this [meteorologist] was telling us we're going to get hit," White told TMZ.com.
The UFC president acknowledged he has encountered similar theories before, citing a close friend named Skip, whom he described as the biggest conspiracy theorist he has met. White indicated Skip himself believes the weather manipulation claim.
"I get how these things happen and how they start, right? There was absolutely no military, you know, right? We thought we were getting hit," White told TMZ.com.
Pre-event forecasts had predicted challenging conditions, with a 60 percent chance of thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, and wind gusts reaching up to 34 miles per hour. The weather concerns extended beyond precipitation, as brutal humidity was expected to drive the heat index into triple digits, accompanied by massive swarms of mosquitoes threatening to disrupt the outdoor event.
During the interview, White also addressed upcoming UFC business, discussing Islam Makhachev's title defense against Ian Garry at UFC 330 in Philadelphia this weekend. The conversation touched on whether Makhachev has entered the greatest-of-all-time discussion, Garry's standing among fans and media, Mackenzie Dern's progression in the sport, and potential locations for future major UFC events following the Sphere and White House venues.
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Ava Hart
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