Speaking during a rally in Iowa, Trump explained that he’s planning to host a UFC show at the famous presidential home in Washington DC as part of the United States’ 250th anniversary celebrations.
Trump stated that UFC president and CEO Dana White would put together the event, which will include a “championship fight” and stated that it would take place in front of a crowd of “20,000-25,000 people”.
“We’re going to have a UFC fight on the grounds of the White House,” he said.
“We have a lot of land there. Dana’s going to do it.”
White shared a video of the announcement on his Instagram, adding, “this will be epic,” while the UFC’s official social media accounts canvassed MMA fans around the world by asking them who they’d like to see headlining the special one-off event.
Hosting such a show is certainly with the UFC’s compass. White and the UFC held a hugely successful event at the state-of-the-art Sphere in Las Vegas – a venue that some said wouldn’t lend itself to a combat sports event. But the show delivered a spectacular night that earned the production team Sports Emmy recognition.
Trump’s relationship with the UFC stretches back to the early days of the promotion, when his hotels played host to UFC events as the organisation attempted to gain a foothold during a time when the sport of MMA was banned across the United States and battling for recognition.
Trump’s willingness to work with the UFC saw him build up a strong friendship with White, who has spoken in support of the former real estate magnate during his political rise, and eventual election to office as the President of the United States.
Now it seems that Trump and White could team up again to bring a historic UFC show to the White House next year.
