White On Trump's Role In UFC's Early Days

Dana White credits Donald Trump with keeping the UFC alive during its financially precarious early years, a partnership that has evolved from Atlantic City fight cards to the Oval Office over the past quarter-century.

The UFC president told ESPN that Trump's willingness to host events at his venues when others refused gave the promotion a lifeline in the early 2000s, when the sport faced regulatory bans and arena closures across the country. White said Trump believed in mixed martial arts when much of the entertainment industry considered it too violent to support.

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Trump allowed the UFC to stage events at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City when few other venues would open their doors, according to the report. That access proved critical as the Zuffa-owned promotion fought to gain mainstream acceptance and state athletic commission approvals. White has remained publicly loyal to Trump ever since, appearing at campaign rallies and speaking at Republican National Conventions.

The relationship now plays out on dual stages: White regularly appears cageside at Trump's UFC visits, while Trump has attended multiple fight cards since his recent return to the presidency. White told ESPN the bond goes beyond politics to a shared belief in combat sports as legitimate entertainment.

The UFC holds its next pay-per-view event in April, with White expected to continue his visible support of the administration.

Reported via:

• ESPN MMA — From the Octagon to the Oval Office: White, Trump and a 25-year friendship