US President Donald Trump attends UFC 316 hours after deploying National Guard
He may have just deployed the National Guard, but that hasn't stopped US President Donald Trump from attending his beloved UFC on Sunday (AEST).
President Trump stunned crowds on the other side of the country at UFC 316 New Jersey, appearing at the event less than an hour after deploying 2000 National Guard troops to immigration protests in LA.
Among UFC fans at least, the president appears still very much in favour as he emerged from the bleachers with the promotion's boss Dana White to rapturous applause.
The crowd at Newark's Prudential Centre erupted as Mr Trump took his place in the front row in front of former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson.
Mr Trump was accompanied by his US secretary of state Marco Rubio, as well as Eric Trump, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner and UFC commentator Joe Rogan.
On notable absentee was Elon Musk, who had attended UFC fights with Mr Trump previously, but recently left his role cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) last week.
Trump has deployed 2,000 National Guard troops amid LA as clashes between federal agents and protesters angry over immigration enforcement raids stretch into a second night.
'President Trump has signed a Presidential Memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester,' White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, blaming California's 'feckless' Democratic leaders.
'The Trump Administration has a zero tolerance policy for criminal behavior and violence, especially when that violence is aimed at law enforcement officers trying to do their jobs.'
About an hour before the White House confirmed the deployment, California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, said he opposed the move.
'That move is purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions,' he said on social media platform X. 'We are in close coordination with the city and county, and there is currently no unmet need.'
UFC headlined by epic KO
In the main event at UFC 316, bantamweight champ Dvalishvili faces UFC superstar O'Malley in a highly anticipated rematch less than a year after their first encounter.
Mr Trump congratulated Kevin Holland after he defeated Vicente Luque in their welterweight fight.
Earlier on the undercard, Yoo Joo-sang delivered a brutal knockout — landing a left hook on Jeka Saragih that knocked him out cold and sent him falling face first to the canvas.
Main card
Merab Dvalishvili (c) vs. Sean O'Malley — bantamweight title
Kayla Harrison vs. Julianna Pena (c) — women's bantamweight title
Joe Pyfer vs. Kelvin Gastelum — middleweights
Patchy Mix vs. Mario Bautista — bantamweights
Kevin Holland def. Vicente Luque via second-round submission (D'Arce choke) — welterweights
Prelims
Joshua Van def. Bruno Silva via third-round KO — flyweights
Azamat Murzakanov def. Brendson Ribeiro via first-round KO — light heavyweights
Waldo Cortes-Acosta def. Serghei Spivac via UD (29-28 x2, 30-27) — heavyweights
Andreas Gustafsson def. Khaos Williams via UD (30-26 x2, 30-27) — welterweights
Early prelims
Wang Cong def. Ariane da Silva via UD (30-27 x3) — women's flyweights
Yoo Joo-sang def. Jeka Saragih via first-round KO — featherweights
Quillan Salkilld def. Yanal Ashmouz via UD (29-28 x2, 30-27) — lightweights
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Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social: "If Governor Gavin Newscum, of California, and Mayor Karen Bass, of Los Angeles, can't do their jobs, which everyone knows they can't, then the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved!!!" Either the state governor or the president or the secretary of Defense can deploy the National Guard. Mr Newson has the primary authority to deploy the guard on a state level, under state active duty or Title 32 status, where the state would bear the cost. An example of this was during the 1992 Los Angeles riots. The guard would typically be deployed by the president or defence secretary for national emergencies, homeland defence, or federal missions under Title 10, where they take on the cost. However, they can also control the guard under the 1807 Insurrection Act when a state is unable to manage civil unrest, which former president George HW Bush did during the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Yes. 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