A leaked memo has revealed Donald Trump’s controversial plan to screen attendees at the UFC Freedom 250 card on the 14th of June at the White House.

The landmark event will take place on the South Lawn of the property and has been put together in order to celebrate both the USA’s 250th anniversary and President Trump’s 80th birthday.

However, it appears that Trump is set to be very particular about who is allowed to attend his birthday party. Only 4,300 spectators will be admitted to the grounds of the White House to watch the show, which will be headlined by Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje squaring off for the undisputed UFC lightweight championship.

Elsewhere on the card, Ciryl Gane and Alex Pereira meet for the interim UFC heavyweight title, with former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley also in action.

UFC White House Attendance ‘Rules’ Revealed

It has been confirmed that the majority of attendees will be US military. However, a report from The Washington Post has revealed that the troops who are present will need to meet strict criteria in order to get a ticket.

According to a leaked memo obtained by the outlet, troops will need to be both in shape and wealthy in order to have the opportunity to watch the event in person.

A call has been put out for junior troops and officers to be put forward to attend UFC 250. However, there are three strict rules that any attendee must meet.

“Humiliating” – The 3 Requirements For Troops Who Attend UFC Freedom 250

Most controversially, the memo, which was circulated within the Air Force, stated that “personnel “MUST MEET CURRENT WAIST-HEIGHT RATIO and current physical fitness standard”.

This essentially means that only troops who are in peak physical condition will be admitted to Freedom 250. Critics have called the demand “humiliating”. Moreover, even if potential spectators meet that criteria, they will need to have deep pockets.

The memo makes it clear that neither Trump nor the UFC will be paying for the travel or accomodation costs for troops in attendance, meaning that attendees will need to have deep pockets in order to cover those costs.

Despite the fact that they will be covering the costs of attending themselves, troops will still be required to wear their own short-sleeve uniforms during the card.

UFC CEO Dana White has insisted that the event is not politically motivated in any way.

“You can make anything political if you want to,” White said. “I love this country like anybody on the left loves this country. I love this country like anybody on the right loves this country. This is basically me spending a ­s***load of money to celebrate the 250th birthday of America, with America and the rest of the world.”

However, the latest revelation regarding entry requirements is unlikely to do much to quieten critics of the card.

Arne Engels wants to leave Celtic this summer and take the next step in his career, according to Sky Sports journalist Sacha Tavolieri.

The Glasgow club had a difficult season which saw them have three first-team managers throughout the campaign, with Brendan Rodgers resigning in October, before Wilfried Nancy was sacked in January after six defeats in eight games.

Martin O’Neill came in as an interim boss on two occasions, including for the second half of the season, and helped to guide the team to the Scottish Premiership title on the final day with a win over Hearts. But now, one of his key players looks set to depart.

Arne Engels Wants to Leave Celtic

According to a report, Engels has made the decision that he wants to leave Celtic this summer for a new challenge.

The midfield sensation, who has been described as ‘powerful’, registered seven goals and assisted eight times playing in the heart of the midfield 46 times across the campaign.

The Belgium international, who was not named in the country’s World Cup squad for this summer, has attracted the interest of a number of top clubs across Europe, including AC Milan and teams in the Premier League with his performances, and feels now is the right time to make the move.

It’s understood that Engels has recently joined the DWMA football agency to try and facilitate a move away from Glasgow, with Nottingham Forest linked with a return for his services after seeing a £25m bid rejected for his services during the January transfer window.

Celtic are believed to be braced for significant interest in the 24-year-old, and it now seems as though he is ready to take them up on that interest by pushing for a move away.

Engels Move Looks Inevitable

With Celtic having a tough season despite winning the league, it looks inevitable that there will be big changes within the squad this summer, and some outgoings that aren’t necessarily wanted could end up happening.

Engels would ultimately fall into that category, but much like Matt O’Riley before him, the club know they can get big money for him and potentially use the cash to strengthen several areas of the squad to get stronger.

He joined the club and has done a fantastic job since being there, but as usual, it was never going to be a long-term role, and now the Hoops must plan for life without him.

Arne Slot’s time at Liverpool has come to an end following the 2025-26 season, with Andoni Iraola emerging as the new favourite to replace the Dutchman in the Anfield dugout for next season.

The Reds endured a dismal Premier League campaign after the heights of winning the title last season, with performances dropping off to a considerable degree.

While one point in the final game of the season was enough to secure a return to the Champions League for next campaign, fans had already voiced their discontent in recent weeks over decisions being made by the head coach.

That played a part in Slot losing his job, but with Xabi Alonso taking the job at Chelsea, there has been no obvious candidate to take over the role.

That is until now, with Iraola seemingly on Liverpool’s radar, with the Spaniard having left Bournemouth at the end of the season.

It would be a huge call from the board, but one that may well have the Jurgen Klopp seal of approval.

Jurgen Klopp’s Andoni Iraola Assessment

A possible switch for Iraola to Liverpool could see the side return to the “heavy metal” pressing style that won over many fans during the Klopp era.

The legendary former manager has previously given his praise to the 43-year-old for his impact at Bournemouth, when speaking back in January 2024.

He said: “I really have time to admire what he [Andoni Iraola] is doing there. Obviously it was a very difficult start for him at Bournemouth with the manager change and all these kinds of things.

“The support he gets from the centre, from the wings. The way they defend, really good, really compact.”

Those are the kinds of comments that Liverpool fans will want to hear, especially considering the struggles that the team have faced this season.

The pressing style has been traded for controlled possession, but without the right balance that has seen the performances look a jumbled mess.

While the Reds only just got over the line in pursuit of Champions League football, a drop-off of 23 goals from the last Premier League campaign will cause some worry.

There were mitigating factors, but perhaps one of them was the manager, which could prompt the move to Iraola and a return to the sort of energy and intensity that fans want to see.

Andoni Iraola Needs Time

If Iraola makes the switch to Liverpool, then one thing that is certain is that he will need time to adjust and make things work, as he needed at Bournemouth.

During his early time with the Cherries, the manager won none of his first nine games, but eventually got his players coached and used to his style. Even Antoine Semenyo, who has since left the club to join Manchester City, admitted that it took some convincing to see the direction the coach was taking them.

Speaking on the All Out Football podcast, he said: “I didn’t see it [his vision] at the start. I’ll be honest, I didn’t see it. Don’t get me wrong, when he came in, he had his way of playing and it was very new to us.

“The way he structured the weeks, we didn’t really have any days off, nothing. So like it’s very hard for a team from having one Wednesday or Sunday off to no days off…”

While that took its time to work, Bournemouth have since become an impressive unit, something Liverpool could become if the coach is given time to impress.

There may also need to be an injection of energy in the squad in the summer transfer window, all to give him the best chance of succeeding if he is named the next head coach.