Andrew Ravens
Joe Rogan has concerns about UFC Freedom 250 taking place outdoors — and he laid them out in detail, again this week.
Speaking on a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, Rogan said the June 14 event at the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., presents problems that no amount of preparation can fully solve.
“I just don’t think you should compete in a world championship fight in a non-controlled environment,” Rogan said. “It should be inside an air-conditioned arena.”
Rogan pointed to three specific issues: heat, dehydration, and insects. He noted that Washington, D.C. reached 100 degrees on the same date last year and said asking fighters who have already gone through a weight cut to compete in those conditions raises real concerns. On the bug problem, he said he was skeptical that any solution — fans, bug strips, pesticide — would be adequate.
His concerns are not without basis from those already on the ground. UFC CEO Dana White recently encountered a bug issue while dining with President Donald Trump at the Rose Garden and separately said on The Pat McAfee Show that it had rained for eight straight days since his team began building the venue at the White House.
Rogan drew a comparison to other major sports, arguing that no other championship event would be staged in uncontrolled outdoor conditions and questioning why UFC Freedom 250 should be any different.
“You wouldn’t ask them to play a world championship basketball game outside in the sun,” Rogan said. “That’s how it should be.”
He also referenced a previous outdoor UFC event in Abu Dhabi where insects were a visible problem during the broadcast, saying the bugs were large enough to be mistaken for birds on camera. UFC Freedom 250 is headlined by the undisputed lightweight championship fight between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje.
