President Donald Trump recently made a notable entrance at the UFC event in Newark, New Jersey. As he walked into the Prudential Center, the crowd erupted in cheers, momentarily sidelining his ongoing feud with Elon Musk. Instead of focusing on tech conflicts, Trump immersed himself in the thrilling atmosphere of the UFC.
Accompanied by UFC President Dana White, Trump made his way to cageside seats to the tune of Kid Rock’s “American Bad Ass.” This wasn’t his first rodeo; he was at last November’s UFC card in New York alongside White and Musk.
While making his entrance, Trump shook hands with fans, including boxing legend Mike Tyson. His family members, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, and Eric Trump, were also in attendance. Even Joe Rogan, a fan-favorite commentator, was greeted warmly by Trump.
Fans had their phones out, eager to capture moments with the former president, who has been a long-time fan of UFC. He timed his arrival perfectly for a card featuring two championship fights, including defenses by Julianna Peña and Merab Dvalishvili.
The excitement peaked when UFC fighter Kevin Holland secured a win against Vicente Luque. Celebrating his victory, Holland climbed the cage and exchanged a few words with Trump and White.
Trump’s connection with White goes back more than two decades. Their bond began in 2001 at an event hosted at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. Since then, he’s consistently shown his support for UFC, especially during his current campaign.
Interestingly, polling data from recent years shows a unique overlap between MMA fans and Trump’s political base. A survey revealed that 58% of UFC fans expressed positive views towards him. This demographic alignment has helped shape their mutual support, as White actively promoted Trump during Republican conventions, translating into enthusiastic backing from fight fans during elections.
In today’s era, where politics and sports often intersect, events like UFC 316 remind us that passion for sports can bridge gaps, even in contentious times.
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Sports retirements, Politics, Mixed martial arts, U.S. news, General news, Washington news, Sports, Article, 122621278