Matt Flegenheimer

You know, I think it's actually a pretty natural choice for Trump if you think about the arc of Trump and the UFC across really 20 plus years at this point. And that arc begins with Dana White. White has been a close friend and ally of Trump's and they've kind of risen in parallel and have kind of developed an understanding, not just as people who are in business, who are transactional.

You know, I think it's actually a pretty natural choice for Trump if you think about the arc of Trump and the UFC across really 20 plus years at this point. And that arc begins with Dana White. White has been a close friend and ally of Trump's and they've kind of risen in parallel and have kind of developed an understanding, not just as people who are in business, who are transactional.

But I think beyond that, there's a sort of visceral understanding mutually about what what it means to succeed in this American moment without having kind of establishment forces behind you every step of the way. I think White understands that about Trump, but I think Trump understands that about White.

But I think beyond that, there's a sort of visceral understanding mutually about what what it means to succeed in this American moment without having kind of establishment forces behind you every step of the way. I think White understands that about Trump, but I think Trump understands that about White.

So he's from Boston. He sort of bounces around in his youth. He's kind of a serial scofflaw by his own account. He's a hotel bellman for a bit, trains to be a boxer, becomes a boxing trainer, winds up moving to Vegas, continues training and eventually managing fighters

So he's from Boston. He sort of bounces around in his youth. He's kind of a serial scofflaw by his own account. He's a hotel bellman for a bit, trains to be a boxer, becomes a boxing trainer, winds up moving to Vegas, continues training and eventually managing fighters

and really becomes sort of enthralled with the ufc and this is the sort of mid to late 1990s it's a moment where the ufc is very much on the fringe it is a young fledgling league with a quite bad reputation across a lot of the american mainstream we're live from the mile high city of denver colorado eight of the deadliest fighters in the world will meet in a no holds barred combat to

and really becomes sort of enthralled with the ufc and this is the sort of mid to late 1990s it's a moment where the ufc is very much on the fringe it is a young fledgling league with a quite bad reputation across a lot of the american mainstream we're live from the mile high city of denver colorado eight of the deadliest fighters in the world will meet in a no holds barred combat to

And as a viewing experience, the sort of production values were low. The venues were pretty grungy. This was not Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. The UFC's own tagline for a time was, there are no rules. That was sort of the pitch. So really bloody. Bloody and lawless.

And as a viewing experience, the sort of production values were low. The venues were pretty grungy. This was not Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. The UFC's own tagline for a time was, there are no rules. That was sort of the pitch. So really bloody. Bloody and lawless.

John McCain calls it human cockfighting. States are banning it by the dozen. Venues don't want to host fights. But despite all of that, you know, Dane White really sees some potential in the UFC. And he sees a sort of appetite in the American audience and beyond for a level of violence through sports that I think the expectation was prior to that maybe people didn't quite have the stomach for.

John McCain calls it human cockfighting. States are banning it by the dozen. Venues don't want to host fights. But despite all of that, you know, Dane White really sees some potential in the UFC. And he sees a sort of appetite in the American audience and beyond for a level of violence through sports that I think the expectation was prior to that maybe people didn't quite have the stomach for.

Yeah, I think to White, this is an opportunity. So what he does is talks to a couple of high school buddies from a family of casino operators and convinces them to put up $2 million to buy the UFC at this moment when it's certainly not a premium property and to put him in charge and give him a stake and really let him kind of execute the vision that he has for what the sport can become.

Yeah, I think to White, this is an opportunity. So what he does is talks to a couple of high school buddies from a family of casino operators and convinces them to put up $2 million to buy the UFC at this moment when it's certainly not a premium property and to put him in charge and give him a stake and really let him kind of execute the vision that he has for what the sport can become.

They find someone who does want to host the thing, or is at least willing.

They find someone who does want to host the thing, or is at least willing.

Somebody with a long history of hosting fights, at least boxing.

Somebody with a long history of hosting fights, at least boxing.

And that is the future president and president-elect, Donald Trump.

And that is the future president and president-elect, Donald Trump.