{"id":1049,"date":"2026-05-29T22:37:21","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T22:37:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jacksonvillemovingnews.com\/?p=1049"},"modified":"2026-05-29T22:37:21","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T22:37:21","slug":"no-heavyweights-allowed-troops-must-meet-fitness-criteria-to-attend-white-house-ufc-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jacksonvillemovingnews.com\/?p=1049","title":{"rendered":"No heavyweights allowed: Troops must meet fitness criteria to attend White House UFC event"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

The Defense Department is requiring members of the military to meet a certain body type criteria in order to attend the big Ultimate Fighting Championship event at the White House next month, according to two people familiar with the criteria and a Pentagon memo outlining the criteria that was reviewed by NBC News.<\/p>\n

Read more The Trump Administration<\/a><\/p>\n

The memo, which was issued to branches of the military this week, states that service members who receive tickets to the big fighting event on the South Lawn must meet a waist-to-height ratio of less than 0.55, \u201cas well as all service-specific physical fitness test requirements.\u201d<\/p>\n

Uniformed troops from commands around the world are eligible to request tickets, but the Pentagon will not cover their travel costs, according to the memo, which describes the fight as a \u201chigh visibility\u201d event at on the White House South Lawn.<\/p>\n

And in this instance, service members\u2019 level of devotion to the UFC means more than their rank. \u201cTickets must be distributed to genuine UFC fans, not solely by high-ranking [distinguished visitors],\u201d according to the memo.<\/p>\n

The Pentagon declined to comment on the matter.<\/p>\n

The Pentagon requiring troops to meet a certain fitness standard for the event was first reported by the Washington Post on Friday.<\/p>\n

The requirements suggest Pentagon leaders and organizers of the UFC fight \u2014 which is shaping up to be President Donald Trump\u2019s marquee event around celebrating America\u2019s 250th<\/sup> anniversary \u2014 are placing a higher premium on the image of the audience than the record or length of service of active-duty troops.<\/p>\n

Read more Miami man faces new child molestation charge after third arrest for touching 10-year-old<\/a><\/p>\n

Demand is high for the event, which is held on the same day as Trump\u2019s 80th birthday on June 14, with limited supplies of tickets. Trump is handpicking most of the 4,000-plus spectators lucky enough, cunning enough or rich enough to secure a seat, according to a report last week in NBC News.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to make a lot of enemies because it\u2019s impossible to get everyone tickets,\u201d Trump told NBC news in an interview earlier this month.<\/p>\n

Discussions about whether members of the military who attend the UFC fight will be considered \u201cdeployed\u201d while there, as they were when they took part in the Army 250 parade last summer, have been ongoing for months among organizers of the event and within the Defense Department.<\/p>\n

For troops seeking tickets, the Pentagon memo says, \u201cCommands should ensure a fair and transparent selection process.\u201d<\/p>\n

They required attire for attendance will be \u201cShort sleeve uniform with appropriate military regalia & headgear,\u201d according to the memo, which notes: \u201cThe event is standing room only, outdoors and uncovered.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Want in on the Miami Swim Week runway? Casting tips on comp cards, confidence and more<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCelebrating America’s 250th Birthday early with a preview of what’s to come on July 4th.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Members of the military seeking tickets to the UFC fight on the South Lawn have to meet \u201call service-specific physical fitness test requirements.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1048,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[156],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1049","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-america250"],"yoast_head":"\nNo heavyweights allowed: Troops must meet fitness criteria to attend White House UFC event - Jacksonville Moving News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/jacksonvillemovingnews.com\/?p=1049\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"No heavyweights allowed: Troops must meet fitness criteria to attend White House UFC event - 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