UFC boss Dana White and Donald Trump’s longstanding friendship reaches a crescendo at the RNC

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) president Dana White, one of Donald Trump’s most outspoken supporters outside of politics, will take the stage on Thursday, just before the Republican presidential nominee – days after the assassination attempt – has his biggest moment of the election.

Trump has supported the wildly popular combat sports brand for years, participating in several live events while battling legal battles.

In Trump-like unorthodox and unfiltered style, the UFC chief will now act as a headliner, introducing his longtime friend to speak on the final night of the Republican National Convention.

Their friendship dates back to at least 2001.

By that time, Mr. White — an Irish-American college dropout turned boxing coach — had gone from managing two mixed martial arts (MMA) champions to becoming UFC president.

MMA has faced a downturn. After U.S. Senator John McCain called it “human cockfighting” and led a campaign to ban the UFC, its events were moved to smaller markets.

“The brand is so bad that event venues don’t even want us. Arenas don’t want us,” White said in 2022.

But after New Jersey legalized the sport in 2000, he continued, “Trump actually called us. He said, ‘Come to my place, have an event here. We’ll host you at the Trump Taj Mahal.'”

The now-defunct casino and hotel in Atlantic City went on to host MMA events UFC 31 and UFC 32, with Trump appearing in the first fight and staying until the final fight on both occasions, according to White.

Both events boosted the company’s profile and helped it secure larger venues for future events. Now the world’s biggest MMA promotion, the UFC is currently valued at $12.3bn (£9.5bn).

And Mr. White remained loyal to Trump throughout his transition from business to politics.

Campaigning for his friend at the 2016 RNC, he praised him in a short but passionate speech as “a hard worker” with “great business instincts.”

“I know fighters,” he said. “Donald Trump is a fighter, and I know he will fight for this country.”

Endorsing him again at the 2020 RNC, he backed Trump’s record in office and said his “re-election” was “extremely important.”

Rude and uncensored in both language and manner, the UFC chief has said he “doesn’t care” [expletive]”on combining business and politics.

He is no stranger to controversy himself, last year admitting to slapping his wife after a drunken argument at a New Year’s Eve party was caught on video. He has since apologized.

As Trump faced criminal, civil and other legal challenges after leaving office, he became Mr. White’s guest at many special events.

Over the past year, Trump has attended at least four such events, often appearing boxer-style with background music and an entourage.

His last appearance was canceled last Saturday due to an assassination attempt on him at a rally in Pennsylvania.

The UFC has many fighters who speak out for traditional conservative values, including some who describe themselves as “pro-American patriots.”

Despite including female fighters, the sport represents extreme masculinity, which is arguably in line with the image created by Trump’s campaign.

Each time Trump was given a standing ovation by a partisan crowd and seated in VIP seats near the ring or the main ring.

But he may not be able to replicate this burgeoning love affair in other sports arenas, including those with pro-Trump audiences like Nascar and the PGA Tour, and the previously Trump-supporting WWE.

Meanwhile, the failed assassination attempt on Trump further strengthened this friend’s support for his re-election.

“Everyone wants to act like a tough guy. But when [expletive] “When things go downhill, you find out who’s tough and who’s not tough,” White told The Pat McAfee Show this week.

“This guy is the real American, the coolest guy of all time.”

Trump rewrote his nomination speech on Thursday after Saturday’s shooting to make a clear call for unity, media reports said.

But judging by Mr. White’s previous speeches at the convention, his introduction to the main event might not have taken such a conciliatory tone.

The conference will also hear from controversial professional wrestling legend Hulk Hogan.

And, as one Trump representative put it, the former president’s walk onto the stage will be like “Hogan at Wrestlemania.”