Pakistan, Aug. 14 -- The White House is to play host to a mixed martial arts bout on July 4 next year, the day the United States marks the 250th anniversary of its founding, UFC boss Dana White said Tuesday.

President Donald Trump has been a regular guest at the often-bloody contests, where fighters punch, kick and grapple with their opponent in a no-holds-barred battle to submission or knockout.

Bringing the brutal combat sport to the center of US political power will mark a historic first.

"It is definitely going to happen," White, a high-profile supporter of the US president, told CBS television.

"I talked to him last night - 'him' being the president - and I'm flying out there at the end of this month, and I'm going to sit down an...