06/14/26 10:51:00
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06/14 22:29 CDT Logan Paul, Tkachuk brothers part of pre-fight festivities
before a watch party on the Ellipse
Logan Paul, Tkachuk brothers part of pre-fight festivities before a watch party
on the Ellipse
By NOAH TRISTER
AP Sports Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) --- Hockey star Matthew Tkachuk was ready to see some carnage
at the White House.
"It's going to be the under in every single fight," he told the crowd on the
Ellipse on Sunday night. "I think it's not going to last like halfway through.
They're all going to be knockouts or finishes early."
Tkachuk and his brother Brady --- no strangers to occasional pugilism on the
ice --- were part of pre-fight festivities for UFC Freedom 250, the mixed
martial arts event on the South Lawn of the White House on President Donald
Trump's 80th birthday. While the crowd around the Octagon was full of VIPs, the
Ellipse --- an expansive lawn between the White House and Washington Monument
--- hosted a viewing party for the more common fan.
The Tkachuks appeared on stage and answered a few questions about their
interest in UFC. Logan Paul was also among those who showed up to entertain the
crowd, and at one point UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland arrived,
causing a rush of fans in his direction. Strickland was escorted out by a group
of police officers.
U.S. Park Police said Strickland's presence resulted in disorder. He wasn't
cited or arrested, but was taken to his hotel and told not to come back to the
venue.
For a while, the weather was a significant concern, and there were dark clouds
hanging over the area around the time the fighting started. But although there
were warnings posted on video screens about possible bad weather, the area
avoided any storms.
The crowd seemed awed by the flyover at the beginning of the event, quickly
starting a "USA!" chant. And there were other ways fans at the Ellipse were
able to feel part of the proceedings, such as when competitors were brought
back to address them from the stage after winning their fights.
"Maybe the greatest experience of my life," Bo Nickal said after knocking out
Kyle Daukaus in the first round in a middleweight clash. "Just so much fun. I'm
so grateful for the opportunity."
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AP MMA: https://apnews.com/hub/mixed-martial-arts
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