UFC President to Highlight Trump's 'Fighter' Image at RNC Finale
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) president will take center stage at the Republican National Convention (RNC) on Thursday night, preceding Donald Trump’s acceptance of the Republican presidential nomination, just days after an assassination attempt on Trump.
Dana White, a vocal supporter of Trump outside of the political realm, will introduce the president at the convention’s conclusion. White, known for his candid and unconventional approach similar to Trump’s, shares a long-standing friendship with the former president dating back to 2001.
In the early 2000s, White, an Irish-American college dropout turned boxercise instructor, transitioned from managing mixed martial arts (MMA) champions to becoming the UFC president. During a downturn for MMA, when former US Senator John McCain condemned it as “human cockfighting,” the sport struggled to find venues.
“Trump literally called us. He said ‘Come to my place, do the event here. We’ll have you at the Trump Taj Mahal’,” White recalled in 2022. The Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City hosted UFC 31 and UFC 32, with Trump attending both events. These events significantly boosted the UFC’s profile, helping it secure larger venues and ultimately becoming the largest MMA promotion in the world, valued at $12.3 billion.
White has remained loyal to Trump throughout his transition from business to politics. In a passionate speech at the 2016 RNC, White praised Trump as a “hard worker” with “great business instincts,” likening him to a fighter who would “fight for this country.” White reiterated his support at the 2020 RNC, emphasizing the importance of re-electing Trump.
Known for his brash and unfiltered manner, White has openly mixed business with politics, declaring he “does not give a [expletive].” Despite controversies, including a public altercation with his wife last year, White has continued to stand by Trump, inviting him to multiple UFC events even as Trump faces various legal challenges.
In the past year, Trump has attended at least four UFC events, often making grand entrances with music and an entourage, receiving enthusiastic welcomes from partisan crowds. However, this growing affinity may not extend to other sports arenas, even those traditionally supportive of Trump, like NASCAR and the PGA Tour.
The recent assassination attempt on Trump has further solidified White’s support for his re-election. “Everybody wants to act like the tough guy. But when the [expletive] goes down, you find out who the tough guys are and who the tough guys are not,” White stated on The Pat McAfee Show, calling Trump “the legitimate, ultimate, American badass of all time.”
While Trump’s nomination speech is expected to call for unity, White’s introduction may strike a different tone. The convention will also feature controversial pro-wrestling icon Hulk Hogan, with one Trump surrogate likening Trump’s stage entrance to “Hogan at Wrestlemania.”
