The Oval Office meets the Octagon

The Oval Office Meets the Octagon

There are a lot of things I expected to see during my time in Washington, D.C. Monuments, museums, motorcades and tourists accidentally standing in bike lanes all made the list. A UFC fight on the White House lawn did not.

Yet somehow, here we are.

Apparently, one of the most recognizable pieces of real estate in the world got an octagon. Because if there is one thing I've learned about Washington, it is that eventually you stop asking "Why?" and start asking "What happens next?"

It's one of those ideas that sounds almost too bold to be real at first glance. The White House lawn, one of the most recognizable spaces in the country, paired with a UFC octagon creates a combination that is unexpectedly perfect in its own way.

What stood out most wasn't confusion, but how quickly it settled into the rhythm of Washington life. In a city where history and spectacle tend to share the same sidewalks, the announcement didn't feel out of place for long. Instead, it became another moment that added to the city's long list of stories you don't believe until you've seen them unfold.

Tourists still lined up for photos. Joggers still made their way around the National Mall. Interns still marched down the sidewalk carrying iced coffees with the urgency of people transporting highly classified information. Somewhere in the middle of all that, workers began preparing for professional fighters to throw punches within sight of some of America's most famous landmarks.

As someone who has spent the last few months in Washington, I can honestly say it feels weirdly on brand.

This city has a unique ability to make extraordinary things feel routine. One day you're standing in a room filled with centuries of history. The next you're explaining to family back home that, yes, there is going to be a UFC fight on the White House lawn.

"No, really."

"Yes, the White House."

"No, I'm not joking."

It is the kind of conversation that sounds increasingly fake the longer it goes on.

I can only imagine the confusion from visitors. Somewhere out there is a family photo album that now includes the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument and an octagon setup outside the White House. Future generations are going to have questions.

Honestly, so do I.

Still, after staying in D.C. for a while, I've learned to expect the unexpected. Just when I think I've seen everything this city has to offer, something comes along to remind me that Washington still has a few surprises left.

I came here expecting history lessons, famous landmarks and stories to tell when I got home. I did not expect one of those stories to involve the possibility of a championship belt being defended on one of the most famous lawns in America.

Then again, maybe that's the most Washington thing of all.

- Olivia Harnack is the editor of the Lincoln County Record-Times, but is currently deployed with the Idaho Army National Guard to Washington, D.C., in advance of the United States' 250th anniversary celebration. Email her at editor@odessarecord.com.

Author Bio

Olivia Harnack, Managing Editor

Olivia Harnack is the award-winning managing editor/photographer/videographer/columnist at the Lincoln County Record-Times, with offices in both Davenport and Odessa, Wash. She is a University of Idaho graduate and a U.S. Army National Guardsman.