Trump has shown his admiration for the sport and White on several occasions
Donald Trump attended UFC 290 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night, accompanied by Dana White, the president of the mixed martial arts organization, and a group of Secret Service agents.
The appearance of Trump, emerging from the tunnel at ground level with Dana White and the security detail, came as a major surprise to the UFC fans present in the stands.
As is characteristic of him, the 45th president of the United States engaged socially with the fans, shaking hands and engaging in brief conversations as he proceeded toward the octagon.
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The sight of Trump on the big screen came as a complete shock to everyone in the venue, including the event’s broadcasters, who reacted with surprise. Nevertheless, Trump is a passionate supporter of UFC and maintains a close friendship with Dana White, who spoke on his behalf at the 2020 Republican National Convention.
Seated in a prime location next to the octagon, Trump enjoyed one of the best seats in the house. Throughout the fights, he took the opportunity to capture moments with those around him, posing for pictures. Even Joe Rogan, in between his broadcasting responsibilities, made a point to meet with Trump.
There was also South African UFC fighter Dricus du Plessis, who jumped over the cage after winning his middleweight bout with Robert Whittaker and shook Trump as well as White.
Donald Trump and Dana White make their entrance to #UFC290 🇺🇸
— ALX 🇺🇸 (@alx) July 9, 2023
pic.twitter.com/l9sCDPFWaj
Du Plessis secured a knockout victory over Whittaker in the second round.
For Trump and all the viewers tuned in to UFC 290, the main card delivered an exceptional experience, with Alexander Volkanovski improving his impressive record to 26-2. He successfully defended his featherweight division title by knocking out Yair Rodriguez in the main event, making it a memorable highlight of the night.
Alexandre Pantoja and Brandon Moreno engaged in an exhilarating battle that required the judges’ input after five rounds. Ultimately, Pantoja emerged victorious by split decision, thereby dethroning Moreno and claiming the flyweight championship.
Impressively, this marked Pantoja’s third triumph over Moreno in their octagon encounters.
In another notable fight, Dan Hooker secured a decision victory over Jalin Turner in the lightweight division, while Bo Nickal wasted no time, knocking out Val Woodburn in a mere 38 seconds to kick off the main card in Sin City.
Trump’s attendance at UFC events is not a novel occurrence, as he has been spotted at multiple events, including UFC 244 during his presidency.
Trump also appeared at UFC 287 alongside Kid Rock and former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson.