Trump celebrates his 80th birthday with an unprecedented UFC event and Topuria’s first loss

President Donald Trump celebrated his 80th birthday on Sunday by attending a mixed martial arts event at the White House, an unprecedented UFC event that culminated in the first career loss for Spain’s Ilia Topuria.

In an unprecedented scene, Trump emerged from the Oval Office alongside Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White and made his way to the massive octagon set up in the grounds of the presidential residence for the "UFC Freedom 250" event.

The controversial event lived up to expectations in terms of sportsmanship, as the main event ended with one of the biggest recent surprises in the UFC. American Justin Gaethje defeated Topuria by technical knockout after four rounds and stripped him of the lightweight title.

The Spaniard, who entered the fight undefeated with 17 wins, took significant punishment from the start of the third round on and was not medically cleared to compete in the fifth and final round.

Trump and his wife, Melania Trump, watched that and the other bouts from the front row and later stepped into the Octagon to congratulate Gaethje, who claimed the title at age 37 and wished the president a happy birthday.

The event commemorates the country’s 250th anniversary

While the event was taking place in the South Lawn, Trump was also basking in the success of a peace deal with Iran that he had announced just hours earlier.

Before the fights, Trump appeared on the historic Truman Balcony as the national anthem played and a formation of 12 military aircraft flew over the White House. The president then took his place in front of the imposing metal cage dubbed "The Claw," installed beneath a 28-meter-high structure.

More than 4,000 guests attended the first professional sporting event held at the White House.

Several UFC fighters paid tribute to the president after their victories; two of them praised him for organizing the fight. Although attention ultimately focused on the bout between Topuria and Gaethje, the event was part of the celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the country’s independence.