Donald Trump Predicted To Return to Madison Square Garden This Weekend for UFC Event

UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden features some of the top mixed martial artists in the world. But the biggest star in the building Saturday night figures to be President Trump, who is expected to be in attendance.Trump, who earned a second term in the White House after a landslide victory over Kamala Harris, has enjoyed a mercurial relationship with his native New York. But it’s all love when he attends UFC events to support his friend and UFC president Dana White and the fighters who backed his presidential campaign.Longtime MMA journalist Kevin Iole of KevinIole.com expects Trump to be there and make a triumphant entrance. “Trump loves to be loved,” Mr. Iole told The New York Sun. “Whenever he shows up there’s an enormous ovation. They play music and the place goes ballistic.”It will be a triumphant homecoming for Trump whose last appearance at the Garden came during a campaign rally last month when jokes by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe about Puerto Ricans and other minorities were widely ridiculed and used by the Harris campaign to paint Trump as a racist.But Trump will be among MAGA-loving supporters of all races and nationalities at UFC 309 after making frequent appearances at UFC events in the past.“He knows he’s going to a place where he’s loved not only by the fans, but also the fighters,” Mr. Iole said. “He likes to show up and have the people cheer for him. There’s always an enormous ovation when he makes his entrance. He likes being a celebrity and the fact he’s the star of the show.”Marc Ratner, the vice president of Regulatory Affairs for the UFC told the Sun Trump’s entrances “are electric” and expects the volume to be twice as loud Saturday night. “He usually comes into the arena to Kid Rock’s ‘American Bad Ass,’” Mr. Ratner told the Sun. “It’s a wild scene. Bigger than any ovation for any fighter.”UFC events are extra amped when the MMA company makes its annual November visit to the Garden. It all began at UFC 205 in 2016 when New York finally lifted its long-time ban on MMA events. MMA superstar Conor McGregor headlined the first UFC card in the World’s Most Famous Arena, defeating Eddie Alvarez to become the first fighter in UFC history to simultaneously hold titles in two divisions.Saturday’s card is headlined by a much-anticipated matchup between Jon Jones, the pound-for-pound best in the sport, defending his UFC heavyweight title against former champion Stipe Miocic.“They always try to make a big card with a big main event when they’re in New York,” Mr. Iole said. They’re committed to being in New York and they want to obviously put their best foot forward in the biggest market in the country. All their big stars over the last eight years have all been competing in New York.”Trump is likely to be sitting next to Mr. White, his long-time friend who introduced the former President at the Republican National Convention and was on stage when Trump accepted victory on the night of the election.There is speculation Mr. White might have a role in Trump’s Administration, but Mr. Iole thinks that is a longshot. Mr. White sparred with businessman Mark Cuban, a supporter of Ms. Harris, during a virtual debate hosted by News Nation just before the election. Bill O’Reilly and Stephen A. Smith were also part of the discussion. Let’s just say Mr. White is a better fight promoter than a politician. It’s why Mr. Iole doesn’t think the UFC president would be interested in a role in the new Trump administration.“Dana is a pretty smart and shrewd person,” Mr. Iole said. “But I think his best attribute is he knows how to find smart people and he puts them in position and lets them do their jobs. My guess would be Dana has no interest in that.”Endorsements by Mr. White, UFC commentator Joe Rogan and several fighters helped Trump earn votes from young males. “A lot of the fighters perceive Trump as a fighter like they are,” Mr. Ratner said. “That’s why they love him.”

Donald Trump Predicted To Return to Madison Square Garden This Weekend for UFC Event

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