UFC 309 was Trump’s MAGA coronation
Trump’s UFC 309 appearance wasn’t just a night at the fights—it was a MAGA victory lap and symbolic coronation with the loyal base that helped put him in the White House.
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If you tuned into UFC 309 on Saturday night, you would have been forgiven if you mistook it for one of Donald Trump’s political rallies.
As the pay-per-view event kicked off, Trump entered Madison Square Garden to thunderous applause, flanked by an entourage helmed by UFC president Dana White. A short promotional clip of Trump played in the arena, showcasing clips of Trump pumping his fist while dramatic music filled the air. “I will fight for you and your family and your future with every breath in my body,” Trump declared in the video, further adding to the spectacle.
Trump’s entourage included a collection of his prospective cabinet nominees, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the conspiracy theorist earmarked for secretary of Health and Human Services, and Elon Musk, the billionaire who was one of Trump’s biggest campaign funders and is now expected to lead an advisory commission on government efficiency.
House Speaker Mike Johnson and Tulsi Gabbard, the former Hawaii congresswoman who is Trump’s pick for director of national intelligence, were also in attendance, as was former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
It is also worth noting that Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and one of the most influential men in the Kingdom, was also present ringside near Trump.
Trump’s MSG entrance stretched on for more than five minutes. He paused to chat with familiar faces and danced to the Village People’s classic YMCA while the crowd serenaded him with chants of “USA! USA!” On his way to his seat, he stopped to greet Joe Rogan, embracing the UFC commentator and podcasting powerhouse as though acknowledging a key political ally. Rogan had, after all, interviewed Trump and endorsed him in the critical run-up to the election.
This wasn’t just a night at the fights. This was a MAGA victory lap — a symbolic coronation with the loyal base that helped put him in the White House.
Trump’s UFC showcase was also his first public appearance since his resounding electoral victory — a return to the site of his controversial rally in October, where comedian Tony Hinchcliffe referred to Puerto Rico an “island of garbage.”
Many critics saw the rally as the final blow to Trump’s campaign. Yet now, as president-elect, he returns to MSG to declare victory in a city that largely rejected him—albeit one where he managed to make modest gains compared to 2020..
To add to the sycophantic spectacle, many of the fighters competing at UFC 309 seemed more interested in competing for Trump’s attention. Brazilian lightweight Mauricio Ruffy left the cage to talk to Trump, while lightweight Michael Chandler spent time speaking with the Trump family after his loss to Charles Oliveira. Even heavyweight champ Jon Jones imitated the president-elect’s dance moves before leading the crowd in USA chants.
“I'm proud to be a great American champion,” Jones said in the Octagon. “I'm proud to be a christian American champion."
Dating back to his first appearance in 2019, Trump has become a regular occurrence at UFC events. He was notably present at UFC 302, two days after becoming a convicted felon. And whenever he appears at a UFC event, he is flanked by White, who assumes the role as his symbolic promoter.
White’s loyalty to Trump is evident. For years, the UFC president has credited Trump for helping the UFC during a difficult period in its history when he hosted the organization for two consecutive events at the Trump Taj Mahal. This story is mere marketing lore, yet it helped strengthen the UFC’s ties to Trump, eventually transforming it into the sporting arm of his MAGA ideology.
Over the years, White has stumped for Trump at three Republican National Conventions and a slew of campaign rallies. Countless other fighters have done the same, including a collection of UFC champions who campaigned for Trump Dearborn, Michigan to help secure Arab American voters dismayed by the Biden administration. He even spoke at Trump’s victory speech following the 2024 election, where he celebrated Trump’s victory like only a combat sports promoter can.
“This is what happens when the machine comes after you,” White said in his speech at the time. “What you’ve seen over the last several years, this is what it looks like. Couldn’t stop him, he keeps going forward, he doesn’t quit, he’s the most resilient, hardworking man I’ve ever met in my life.
“This is karma ladies and gentlemen. He deserves this.”
While Trump has become a UFC mainstay of sorts, his decision to appear with a contingent of his MAGA loyalists and cabinet nominees — now some of the most powerful people in the US — underscores his administration’s awareness of its base, and its willingness to pander to the young fight fans who turned out in droves to vote for Trump. It was a well-strategized PR boon, where the president-elect and his admin appeared more popular than the fighters competing in the cage.
This is the reality we now inhabit — one which blurs the lines between politics and spectacle, and where a cagefighting organization has become a pivotal player in American political affairs.
A note to readers: Trump’s strategic use of sports and entertainment as part of his campaign strategy is a central theme of Sports Politika’s three-part audio series, In The Red Corner. Listen to the entire series here.
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Good observations
Curious why you leave the UFC ownership out of the story entirely? They were avowedly anti-political under Zuffa. As soon as Ari Emanuel and Endeavor bought the promotion they encouraged (ordered?) Dana White to publicly associate the promotion with Trump.
Why do you not find this relevant to your discussion?
From my perspective you're talking about the kayfabe happening in the pro wrestling arena while ignoring the backstage movers that determine the course of the action.