Former President Donald Trump recently attended an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he was met with cheers from the crowd.
Although Trump did not address the crowd at UFC 290, his mere presence was enough for the fans to cheer and applaud as he entered the arena.
As he emerged from the arena’s tunnel, the former president began interacting with supporters by shaking hands and speaking briefly with them.
Everyone in the building was shocked, including the event’s broadcasters, as they were surprised when Trump was shown on the big screen.
Trump is a fan of the UFC and a friend of White, who spoke in support of Trump at the 2020 Republican National Convention.
Trump was seated near the octagon, where the UFC fights occur, and took pictures with many celebrities in attendance, including actor Mel Gibson. Podcaster Joe Rogan, who also works as a UFC broadcaster, took time between his broadcasting duties to shake Trump’s hand.
Yoooo pic.twitter.com/ioJWijlXTm
— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) July 9, 2023
The former president was even met by a UFC fighter, South Africa’s Driscus Du Plessis, who jumped over the octagon after defeating fellow fighter Robert Whittaker in the middleweight division to shake Trump’s hand as well as Dana White’s.
Donald Trump and Dana White make their entrance to #UFC290 🇺🇸
— ALX 🇺🇸 (@alx) July 9, 2023
Before attending the UFC event, Trump delivered a campaign speech in Las Vegas, rallying his supporters with his charisma and addressing the ongoing issues in the U.S.
The atmosphere at T-Mobile Arena resembled that of Trump’s political rallies as his loyal supporters embraced their former president.
Notably, Trump has attended several other UFC events, where he was greeted with the same passion and support.
In 2019, as president, Trump attended UFC 244. He has also been spotted at UFC 287 with Kid Rock and former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson.
According to Sportsskeeda, Trump’s connection with White and the UFC began in 2001, when White bought the struggling organization alongside Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta. Trump arranged for a few UFC events to take place at his Taj Mahal Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
During Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, White said, “Arenas around the world refused to host our events. Nobody took us seriously; nobody except Donald Trump. Donald was the first guy that recognized the potential that we saw in the UFC and encourages us to build our business.”
Today, the UFC is one of the world’s most popular and successful fighting companies. Something that began in Trump’s hotel has now been expanded to arenas worldwide.
