UFC Fighters Benefit from Trump’s Influence

Two UFC fighters are set to be featured on a card for a White House event, thanks to President Donald Trump. He made a special appearance at UFC 327 held in Miami, marking his first outing at a professional sports event since the onset of the Iran war.

At UFC 327, the organization announced a new matchup between Derrick Lewis and Josh Hokit for UFC Freedom 250. Dana White, the UFC president, mentioned that this fight was actually President Trump’s suggestion.

White relayed an interesting moment from the event, saying, “About an hour ago, the president leaned over to me and asked why Derrick Lewis wasn’t included in the fights for the White House. I walked away, contacted Derrick, and asked if he’d be interested in fighting on this card. He immediately agreed.”

Hokit, who recently won against Curtis Blaydes, is confirmed to compete on this card.

Interestingly, Saturday’s event was Trump’s first engagement at a major sporting occasion since he attended the college football national championship in January, where Indiana defeated Miami. Since starting his second term, Trump has managed to attend various significant events including the Super Bowl, the Daytona 500, NCAA Wrestling Championships, and several others.

The upcoming card, set for June 14, will take place on the South Lawn in celebration of America 250, coinciding with Trump’s 80th birthday. The highlight will be a lightweight title unification bout featuring Justin Gaethje and Ilya Topria.