A US court on Friday gave the go-ahead for a cage fight outside the White House on the occasion of President Donald Trump's 80th birthday, rejecting an application by opponents of the event.
The court found that the plaintiffs had not sufficiently demonstrated why they faced lasting harm from the event and had raised the objections too late.
Fights are planned directly in front of the White House this Sunday, Trump's 80th birthday. A cage in the typical octagon format has already been erected there, surrounded by spectator stands and covered by a giant dome.
The official occasion is the celebrations surrounding the 250th anniversary of US independence, which falls on July 4.
The organizer is the professional mixed martial arts (MMA) league Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) - a frequently bloody combat sport combining techniques from boxing, wrestling, kickboxing, karate and jiu-jitsu, among others.
The planned cage fight has attracted widespread criticism. To prevent it, the organization Public Integrity Project filed a lawsuit earlier this month in a federal court on behalf of two US citizens.
The plaintiffs accuse Trump of granting UFC chief Dana White and his company access to the White House and the Lincoln Memorial "to host a private, profit-driven sports event, with all the promotional and branding opportunities that such access brings."
Trump has attended UFC fights as a spectator on several occasions and maintains a close relationship with league chief White.
The arena's stands are set to hold more than 4,000 spectators. More than 120,000 visitors are expected at a fan festival in Ellipse Park between the White House and the Washington Monument, according to court documents.
