Dana White, Donald Trump and the Rise of Cage-Match Politics
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Hey, it's Sabrina. Before we get started, a few details about a major developing story that's still being pieced together. According to investigators, in the early hours of Wednesday morning, an armed man driving a rented pickup truck deliberately plowed into a crowd celebrating New Year's Eve in New Orleans, killing at least 15 people and injuring dozens more. In a short speech last night, President Biden said that the driver, a U.S. Army veteran who died during the attack, had been inspired by the Islamic State and had expressed a clear desire to kill. Investigators said that they are still trying to determine whether he had acted alone or had any help from individuals or a group. These are the key facts we know for now.
We'll be following developments over the next few hours and we'll bring them to you as soon as we can. Okay, here's today's show.
This is Daily Producer Olivia Nat. I am in Las Vegas outside an arena where tonight there is going to be a UFC championship fight. I am notoriously squeamish, so I'm really excited to talk to people about why they like this sport, why they're here tonight, and I'm going to go talk to some of them. It is a microphone. Do you have a couple of minutes to answer some questions?
Oh, hell yeah. Yeah, let's get some questions going. Let's get some questions going.
Why are you guys here tonight? What do you like about watching fights?
The combat is... I love it. Like you never know, it's two men in a cage. It's man versus man. Beast versus beast.
I really enjoy the special moments where people get knocked out.
It's live action. It lets you know who you are. I've never been to a fight before. What should I expect tonight?
You're going to go? Nice.
I expect somebody's going to get knocked out, choked out. You know, anything can happen in this octagon. You will enjoy this, I promise you. You will enjoy this.
From the New York Times, I'm Sabrina Tavernisi, and this is The Daily.
All right, I'm walking over to the Octagon, and it sounds like the first fights have just kicked off.
Kick it, fucking kick it!
Over the past five years, one sports league has gained popularity faster than any other. The Ultimate Fighting Championship, or UFC. Today, my colleague Matt Flegenheimer on the man behind the league and how his longtime friendship with Donald Trump has transformed what was once a fringe sport into a cultural and political powerhouse. It's Thursday, January 2nd. Matt Flegenheimer.
Sabrina Tavernese.
Welcome to the show.
Thank you so much for having me.
So Matt, we're going to talk today about UFC, but I have something to admit to you. By all means. I've actually never watched it. So let's start with the basics, Matt. Tell us what the UFC is.
Sure. UFC stands for Ultimate Fighting Championship. It's the sort of primary promotion associated with mixed martial arts. It is a cage fighting enterprise which combines elements of kickboxing, wrestling, jiu-jitsu into this kind of very painful medley of activities in what they call the octagon, this eight-sided cage where two fighters convene and beat each other up over a course of rounds.
Okay, that probably explains why I've never heard of it.
It also has been one of the fastest growing sports. Huge audience internationally. Was acquired for $4 billion in 2016. Has only grown since, not just in the sports world, but culturally and politically as well. And really has a kind of crowning moment in November.
And what happens in November?
So, President-elect Trump, really fresh off his election win, attends a fight at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Trump is sort of waiting in the wings with his entourage and walks out almost as if he is the fighter. President and CEO of the UFC, Dana White is to his left. Elon Musk is with him. Mike Johnson is with him.
Robert Kennedy alongside.
various cabinet members to be if he has his way.
It's so loud in here.
It is so loud.
And the crowd just loses its mind.
It's always loud when he comes here, but now that he's won, now that he's the president again, oh, my God.
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Speakers
22 identified
Matt Flegenheimer 16 min
Sabrina Tavernisi 6 min
Dana White 1 min
Olivia Nat 1 min
UFC Fan 6 1 min
UFC Fan 1
UFC Fan 5
UFC Announcer 5
UFC Fan 9
UFC Announcer 6
UFC Announcer 7
UFC Announcer 3
UFC Fan 10
UFC Announcer 2
UFC Fan 8
UFC Fan 7
UFC Announcer 4
UFC Fan 2
UFC Fan 3
UFC Announcer 8
UFC Announcer
UFC Fan 4
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