The UFC wanted fireworks before the first punch was even thrown. Instead, it got roasted online.
Just days before UFC Freedom 250 transforms the White House South Lawn into what may be the most uniquely American sporting spectacle in modern history, fans found a new target to spar with: the promotion’s red-white-and-blue Octagon Girl outfits.
The event, scheduled for President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday and tied to America’s 250th anniversary celebrations, was supposed to showcase patriotism, pageantry and a little old-fashioned UFC showmanship. But when the organization unveiled its custom uniforms for longtime Octagon Girls Chrissy Blair and Red Dela Cruz, social media critics came out swinging.
Traditionally, UFC ring girls wear the familiar black or red attire that has become part of the promotion’s branding. For the White House card, however, the company decided to lean hard into the stars-and-stripes theme.
The result? A fashion choice that split fans faster than a controversial judges’ scorecard.
Photos released by the UFC showed Blair and Dela Cruz modeling outfits inspired by the American flag. One featured a striped skirt and patriotic detailing, while another incorporated a flag-themed dress intended to fit the event’s larger celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday.
Not everyone was impressed. “This is so tacky,” one critic wrote after the photos spread across X.
Another piled on: “I hate this sooo bad.”
A third observer summed up the mood of many detractors with a jab that practically wrote itself: “Perfectly tacky and on brand.”
Others were even harsher, calling the entire production “one big humiliation fest.”
Of course, this is the internet, where every cultural debate eventually becomes a national emergency. Some users joked that the women looked like comic-book superheroes, comparing the outfits to Wonder Woman costumes. Others complained the UFC had crossed the line from patriotic into parody.
The White House card is being marketed as a once-in-a-generation event celebrating America’s semiquincentennial. If there were ever a UFC show built for over-the-top patriotic imagery, this would be it.
The promotion defended the creative direction in a statement explaining that “the inspiration behind the designs were born from the intersection of sport, spectacle, and celebration.” The UFC added: “The goal was to blend strength, athleticism, glamour, and American heritage into a wardrobe language that felt sophisticated, powerful, and unmistakably iconic to celebrate the 250th anniversary of America.
“From streamlined silhouettes to dramatic statement pieces, each look played a role in an evolving red, white, and blue narrative.
“Rich textiles, custom embroidery, crystal embellishment, and patriotic motifs brought texture, movement, and a fresh interpretation of American glamour.”
The wardrobe dust-up comes as anticipation builds for what may become the most ambitious event in UFC history. Construction crews have spent weeks transforming the White House grounds into a temporary fight venue complete with an Octagon, stadium seating and the massive overhead lighting rig known throughout the sport as “the claw.”
President Trump is expected to attend alongside First Lady Melania Trump, members of the Trump family and thousands of invited guests. UFC officials have reportedly coordinated with an alphabet soup of federal agencies, from the Secret Service to the Pentagon, to pull off the unprecedented event.
The seven-fight card is expected to feature lightweight champion Ilia Topuria against interim champion Justin Gaethje in the main event, giving fans something far more important to argue about than ring girl outfits.
Then again, this is social media. By Sunday night, half the internet may still be debating sequins, stripes and whether patriotism has become a fashion crime.
Put an American flag on anything in 2026 and someone online will inevitably declare it offensive, embarrassing or “too much.” The UFC appears perfectly comfortable ignoring the pearl-clutching and giving fans exactly what they signed up for: a loud, unapologetic celebration of America, combat sports and spectacle.
