Former United States president Donald Trump has taken aim at boxing as he noted the sport is hard to watch after becoming an MMA fan.
The controversial candidate is on the campaign trail as the 2024 United States Election closes in, and recently spent the day with YouTube stars Nelk. He recorded a podcast with the social media group, and then invited them on his private jet where they traveled to Las Vegas.
Trump is a close friend of Dana White, and told the UFC CEO on a phone call that he finds it tough to keep up with boxing after watching much faster-paced MMA fights. He is a regular attendee at the promotion’s events, and tends to be well-received by fans when he makes his walkout.
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Donald Trump tells Dana White MMA is much better than boxing
During a recent podcast with Nelk, Donald Trump took a phone call from UFC CEO Dana White, whom he spoke to about future fights. He noted his excitement for the return of Jon Jones, and noted how much better he feels MMA is to boxing.
“When is your next fight, please?” Trump asked White, whose answer was cut off before someone away from the camera replied that after UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi this weekend, it’s Jones against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 next month.
“We need a little entertainment here,” Trump joked, before telling White: “For the first time in about ten years I watched boxing. When you get used to the other stuff, it’s very slow, not the same thing… Dana you’re the greatest of all time, we wanted to call you and break your choppers.”
The pair then appeared to agree to a breakfast meeting, with Trump joking that White likely sleeps in until 1pm in the day. He then mocked sitting president Joe Biden, claiming that he has an ability to fall asleep that he is envious of when he is finished working for the day.
Dana White details why he supports Donald Trump
Since 2016, UFC boss White has been a vocal supporter of Donald Trump. The pair were once rivals when then-businessman Trump was behind competitor fight promotion Affliction, but they have also hosted events together in his casinos over the years.
And Trump now holds a very close relationship with White, as the MMA supremo invites him to shows and has spoken multiple times at the Republican National Convention and other rallies. “Loyalty is really important to me,” White told Fox News earlier this year.
“And he’s been a very good friend to me. And he’s a massive fight fan… It’s not just saying, oh, the UFC got popular, but whatever. Trump was the guy who reached out to us when we couldn’t get venues and had us come to the Taj [Mahal, his former Atlantic City hotspot]. We did our first two shows over there.
“And when you think about it, then the Trump brand here, the UFC brand here, he showed up for the first fight and stayed until the last fight for both events. He’s the guy who would reach out to me my entire career when good things happen and say, ‘hey, congratulations. I always knew you were going to do it’.
“Take any of the greatest fighters of all time. Trump is number one, the most resilient human being that I have ever met in my life… Why keep doing this?
“You’ve got money. You’ve got a great life. You got whatever. Why keep doing this? And the one thing that I can tell you, and this is a fact, this guy loves this country.”
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