Just weeks after holding a historic rally inside the “world's most famous arena,” Donald Trump made his triumphant return to Madison Square Garden as president-elect with a star-studded entourage on Saturday night, and the UFC 309, which received a huge round of applause from the fans.
Trump, making his first appearance in the UFC since defeating Vice President Kamala Harris in the Nov. 5 election, was joined by UFC president Dana White, Elon Musk, chairman Mike Johnson, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Kidd. Locke and his entourage, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., entered the venue. , Tulsi Gabbard, and her sons Donald Jr. and Eric.
According to the broadcast team, there was a deafening echo as he emerged from the tunnel next to White in front of everyone.
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Joe Rogan, President-elect Donald Trump, Kid Rock and Elon Musk pose for a photo during the UFC 309 event at Madison Square Garden on November 16, 2024 in New York City. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
“If anyone at home could hear the noise in this room right now, it's so loud!” Joe Rogan said on pay TV. “It’s always loud when he comes in, but now he won.” [the election]now he's president again, and lo and behold! ”
The broadcast added that those who could stand inside the arena did so as the videoboard began playing a video montage announcing President Trump's arrival. The arena was filled with chants of “USA! USA!”
As the crowd roared, Trump made his way to the ringside announcer's table and hugged podcast king and UFC commentator Joe Rogan. Mr. Trump appeared on Mr. Rogan's popular podcast on October 25 and had a freewheeling discussion that lasted about three hours. Harris declined to appear on the show, and Logan later endorsed Trump.
Expectations that Trump would show up for the fight have been building all week, with rumors corroborated by Margo Martin, Trump's deputy communications director, who filmed the president-elect boarding a jet bound for New York. Ta.
A photo taken from inside the jet showed him watching the pregame with RFK Jr., whom Trump nominated for Secretary of Health and Human Services earlier this week.
Mr. Kennedy, who started the 2024 campaign as a Democratic candidate, dropped out of the race in August and joined forces with Mr. Trump, becoming a powerful surrogate and aide in the final months of the campaign.
Ramaswamy, who withdrew from the race for the Republican presidential nomination in early 2024 and abandoned his support for Trump, tweeted a photo of himself and Kid Rock at a game at Madison Square Garden. It is not clear whether they traveled with President Trump or separately.
Mr. Ramaswamy and Mr. Musk were appointed to lead what Team Trump calls the Department of Government Efficiency, which aims to root out trillions of dollars of waste and fraud from the federal budget.
Mr. Trump and Mr. White are longtime friends, with the latter appearing several times during Mr. Trump's campaign leading up to the election.
Donald Trump heads to UFC 309, expecting big cheers after election win
White said Trump is a “huge fan” of mixed martial arts, but during an interview with TMZ Sports, he declined to discuss rumors of Trump heading to the Garden.
“I think anything is possible,” White said with a smile. “Who knows? He might suddenly appear.”
White added that the majority of his organization's fan base has shown love for Trump over the years.
Former President Trump poses with UFC President Dana during the UFC 302 bout between Cesar Almeida (red gloves) and Roman Kopylov (blue gloves) at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on June 1, 2024. -Meet with White. (Joe Campoare/USA Today Sports)
“If you think about fighter jet strikes, every time a fighter jet walks into battle, [octagon]So the two big guys that are really going to shake up the arena are President Trump and Conor McGregor,” White said. [Saturday] It's definitely fun at night. ”
Trump appeared at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, for the UFC 302 fight in June, to thunderous applause from the crowd.
Former Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler, returning to the Octagon more than two years since his last fight, is a prominent Trump supporter and wanted to attend.
“I did meet Trump, and he said, 'Either I win the election and I'm going to be there on November 16th, or if I lose, I'm going to be depressed and not come.' “Now that I won, it looks like I'm going to run for office,” Chandler said.
Chandler added that winning the battle in front of Trump would be an “honor.”
Dana White speaks next to Republican presidential candidate and former President Trump during a rally at the Palm Beach County Convention Center on November 6, 2024 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Brendan McDiarmid/Reuters)
President Trump's Oct. 27 rally at Madison Square Garden was a major event for his campaign, featuring a lineup of speakers comparable to a political convention.
Dozens of elected leaders. Trump's sons, Don Jr. and Eric. Wife Melania, Mask. Before Trump took the stage, his running mate, J.D. Vance, also spoke. The rally was packed, and thousands more supporters gathered in the streets outside the legendary arena.
White also spoke at the MSG rally, warning voters that Harris was the “status quo” for America, which Harris believed was in dire need of change.
“She can win her party's nomination without ever facing voters,” White said. “What else is there? What can she offer the American people other than vague promises and no plans?
“She talks a lot about the need for change and hope for the future. Hope and change. Does that sound familiar? She can use Obama's old playbook, but she's not Obama and change What she wants, now the sitting vice president of the United States, is for voters to focus on the future, because looking at the past four years, what really needs to change? Because they don't want us to understand.”
Former President Trump, Republican presidential candidate, raises his fist as he arrives to speak at a campaign event at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York, September 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
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Chandler will be in the co-main event of UFC 309, facing Charles Oliveira. Jon “Bones” Jones will also enter the Octagon after a long hiatus and will be the clear favorite to win the title over Stipe Miocic.
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