When Donald Trump boldly predicted MMA‘s ascendancy over boxing as the “new combat sport of the 20th century” more than a decade ago

It's safe to say that Donald Trump is a dedicated UFC follower and an early trailblazer for the organization's success.

His connection with Dana White has been well-documented, with the UFC CEO speaking at Trump’s political rallies and crediting him for helping the sport gain mainstream attention in its early days. Trump helped the UFC gain mainstream acceptance at a time when the organization struggled with the media branding it as "human cockfighting."

The UFC held events at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City and White has always credited the former United States president for his role in redefining the reputation of the brand. While some might claim that the UFC, on occasion, has eclipsed boxing events, Trump predicted the rise of the sport more than a decade ago in an interview with Ariel Helwani. He said:

"Well, I really do [believe that MMA has surpassed boxing as the new combat sport of the 20th century]. It's pretty obvious. When you look at boxing matches, there are some good ones, but MMA is the place to be."

Check out the post below:

Catch Donald Trump's comments below:

Trump has made an appearance at several UFC events, including UFC 244 when Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal locked horns for the inaugural 'BMF' championship. Trump chose to attend the UFC event instead of boxing star Canelo Alvarez's fight against Sergey Kovalev on the same date. Fans remember the visual of Alvarez waiting in the locker room ahead of his walkout to avoid clashing with the Masvidal vs. Diaz bout.

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Dana White reveals that he spoke to Donald Trump before Tuesday's presidential debate

United States presidential candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris faced each other in their first debate on Tuesday.

The debate was marked by sharp exchanges, with Harris launching direct attacks on Trump’s policies and past controversies. The Democratic nominee for the 60th quadrennial presidential election criticized Trump's economic stance and highlighted his controversial statements at rallies. Meanwhile, Trump defended his record on issues like immigration and inflation.

UFC CEO Dana White claimed at the DWCS (Dana White's Contender Series) post-fight press conference that he spoke to Trump ahead of the debate. He said:

"He called me an hour before the debate. I talked to him when I was coming here right when we got off the plane. I was in L.A. [Los Angeles] today."

Catch White's comments below (27:00):