UFC CEO Dana White Attends President Donald Trump's Inauguration

UFC CEO Dana White bolted out of California to attend Donald Trump's inauguration as the 47th U.S. President.
(Getty Images)

UFC CEO Dana White made a pitstop in Washington, D.C., after UFC 311 to support his friend, Donald Trump.

White Attends Trump Inauguration In Washington

Trump was sworn in as the 47th U.S. President Monday, and White, fresh off the first UFC pay-per-view of the year, wasn't going to miss a monumental day in world history.

At the inauguration, White sat beside several former presidents, including Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton. Other notable celebrities, including Jake and Logan Paul, Kyle Forgeard, and Joe Rogan, were also present.

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"The fate of this country is tied to the fate of the president," White said at the rally Sunday night. "So if you love America, you should want America’s president to be successful."

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White has been fiercely loyal to Trump for over two decades, as Trump gave the UFC a shot in the arm toward legitamacy in MMA's early evolution stages. White has recalled in several interviews how much his and Trump's friendship has grown in recent years.

"I know President Trump is a fighter; I’ve been saying this since 2015," White said last summer. Now look at what’s happened over the last 10 years, we have all seen it with our own eyes. I’m in the tough guy business, and this man is the toughest, most resilient human being that I’ve ever met in my life. I know President Trump is a proven leader, a fearless leader, and this country was in a much better place when he was in the Oval Office.”

White has said he doesn't want any direct affiliation with politics outside of just being friends with Trump. Whether White changes his tune over the next four years is unclear. What is clear, though, is a strong friendship that White credits a lot for helping the UFC get off the ground in its early years.

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Zain Bando
ZAIN BANDO

Zain Bando is a writer for MMA Knockout, part of the Sports Illustrated/Minute Media umbrella. He has covered combat sports since 2019 for notable outlets BJPenn.com and FanSided MMA. He also co-hosts a podcast called "The MMA Outsiders," part of the Empty The Bench Podcast Network, which airs Tuesday nights at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT. A Chicago suburban native, Bando has been enthralled with MMA since 2006 and has been fortunate to attend some of the most high-profile events in the sport's history, both as a fan and media member, including UFC 264, Bellator 297 and Kayla Harrison's PFL MMA debut. He is excited to take the next step in his combat sports writing journey and looks forward to continuing his following of the fight game for years to come. Bando can be reached via email at zainbando99@gmail.com or by social media @zainbando99