Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is coming to the White House this summer. It’s the long-awaited culmination of the growing relationship between Dana White’s UFC and the second Trump Administration. UFC has long abandoned any veil of political neutrality.
Two days after Donald Trump’s conviction of 34 felony charges in New York, he was granted a king’s welcome at UFC 302. A pause in the broadcast — typical for a championship fighter — welcomed Trump, who was in the process of campaigning to regain the presidency. The broadcast showed him alongside son Eric and Dana White.
Since then, White, trying to beat out fellow Trump sycophant and FIFA president Gianni Infantino, has appeared alongside Trump on numerous occasions. He has moved the UFC to Paramount+ (which is owned by fellow Trump ally David Ellison) and has stood in defense of pro-Hitler fighter Bryce Mitchell. Yet, five months out from what may be the UFC’s most anticipated event ever, we know little about the event itself.
What we do know, however, is that Dana White will do everything in his power to ensure the event embodies the spirit of “Being American,” a catchphrase for which White became the spokesman in a Dodge Ram commercial. For its part, Ram is a subsidiary of Stellantis, a Dutch-headquartered multinational carmaker. The UFC insists upon a vision of high-flying, hard-hitting and patriotic fighters competing in a tournament that is meritocratic yet deeply rewarding for those who can attract media attention.
Yet the reality is strikingly different. Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)’s image, once defined by boisterous boxers like the now-disgraced Conor McGregor, conflicts with the sport, now dominated by subtle wrestlers like Islam Makhachev and Khamzat Chimaev. Today, the sport struggles to prop up its exciting fighters. They rushed Alex Pereira to an instant rematch with Magomed Ankalaev after his defeat, allowing Ilia Topuria to maintain his belt without fighting, as he deals with allegations of domestic abuse from his ex-wife. They also allowed Alexander Volkanovski to fight for the featherweight championship repeatedly, despite losing three title fights in the past three years.
The UFC shares a similar aesthetic obsession with the White House. An administration that insists upon the legacy of American pride, which would rather hold back American success in favor of marketable policies. An administration that would rather America return to its manufacturing roots than reap the rewards of its boring yet successful service economy. The UFC and the White House seek to enshrine themselves within their own propaganda, to sell a vision of themselves entirely disconnected from success.
Public information about the fighting card remains limited. Ari Emanuel, the president of UFC’s parent company, TKO, has said there will be six or seven fights on the card, half the usual amount in a typical numbered event, and that the UFC will cover all financial expenses related to the event. It will likely serve as a kickstart for the UFC on Paramount+, as the organization moves its major events off of pay-per-view for the first time. If last year’s UFC 314, with Kash Patel, Marco Rubio, Tulsi Gabbard, RFK Jr., Ted Cruz and President Trump in attendance, was any indication, it may well also be the largest public gathering of U.S. cabinet personnel outside of the Feb. 25 State of the Union. White met with President Trump this week to discuss logistics, admitting that there will be “tons of problems pulling it off,” and maintaining that the card remains unfinished. UFC at the White House will make headlines, and it will signify White’s vision of “Being American,” but will it be the memorable, star-studded event the UFC desperately needs? That remains to be seen.
