Donald Trump gets astonishing reaction at UFC 316 amid Elon Musk row before stunning gesture by winner Merab Dvalishvili
DONALD TRUMP has made a surprise appearance at UFC 316 - but this time Elon Musk was nowhere to be seen.
The President was cageside to watch Merab Dvalishvili's title scrap with Sean O'Malley on Saturday night.
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Trump was flanked by UFC kingpin Dana White in a one-man entourage as he entered the arena in Newark, New Jersey.
He received loud cheers from the capacity crowd at the Prudential Center before taking his seat close to boxing icon Mike Tyson.
Trump shook hands with former NFL stars Will Compton and Taylor Lewan as he settled in to watch a packed main card.
Son Eric, daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner were also in the audience, as well as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The 47th President arrived in New Jersey on Friday, where he stayed at his golf course in Bedminster.
Trump was on the end of a high five from Kevin Holland after his submission victory against fellow welterweight Vicente Luque.
And he later shared words of encouragement to Georgian star Dvalishvili following an epic end to the main event.
Elon Musk.
His relationship with the world's richest man disintegrated earlier this week.
The former allies battled it out on social media after disagreeing on Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill', with the President claiming Elon had "gone crazy".
I'm an ex-UFC champ who has quit masturbating and smoking weed to try win my belt back at UFC 316,
Musk, who is worth an estimated $330 billion, was a major contributor to Trump's presidential campaign.
He reportedly spent $250 million in supporting the Republican's race for the White House last year.
Musk accompanied Trump to his last UFC showing in April.
The President was given a thunderous reception as he entered the arena for UFC 314 in Miami, Florida.
But prior to Saturday's action, Trump indicated his working relationship with Musk was irreparable.
"I'm too busy doing other things. I won an election in a landslide," he said.
"I gave [Musk] a lot of breaks, long before this happened.
"I gave him breaks in my first administration, and saved his life in my first administration, I have no intention of speaking to him."
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Donald Trump and Elon Musk's complicated relationship
Former president Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk's relationship started rocky, but the pair have since reconciled, with Musk fully endorsing Trump and interviewing him on X Spaces on August 12.
In 2022, Elon Musk and Donald Trump publicly feuded on X, then still known as Twitter.
Trump called Musk a liar and "bulls**t artist" during a rally in Alaska.
"Elon is not going to buy Twitter," Trump said at the time.
"You know, he said the other day, 'I've never voted for a Republican.' I said, 'I didn't know that - you told me you voted for me. So he's another bulls**t artist, but he's not going to be buying it."
In response to Trump's critiques, the SpaceX founder clapped back.
"I don't hate the man, but it's time for Trump to hang up his hat & sail into the sunset," Musk posted.
Musk also went on to buy X months later.
The X owner said he had previously voted mostly for Democrats since becoming a United States citizen in 2002.
Musk initially backed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to be the Republican Party's presidential nominee.
"My preference for the 2024 presidency is someone sensible and centrist," Musk wrote on X in 2022.
"I had hoped that would [be] the case for the Biden administration, but have been disappointed so far."
His shift in political parties might be attributed to his plummeting relationship with President Joe Biden who didn't invite Musk to the 2021 White House electric vehicle summit.
Despite their past issues, Trump and Musk's relationship took a turn in March after they met at Mar-a-Lago.
Trump was also previously against electric vehicles but has since changed his stance.
"I'm for electric cars," he said at a rally earlier this month.
"I have to be, because Elon endorsed me very strongly. So I have no choice."
Following the assassination attempt at Trump's rally in July, Musk announced his support for the former president.
"I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery," Musk wrote on X after the shooting.
During a recent press conference, Trump spoke highly of Musk.
"I respect Elon a lot. He respects me," he said.
"Elon, more than almost anybody I know, he loves this country. He loves the concept of this country, but like me, he says this country is in big trouble, it's in tremendous danger."
Musk has been pictured at events at Mar-a-Lago and the UFC, buddying up with Trump.
Trump selected Musk to lead the Department of Government Efficiency - a taskforce aimed at cutting bureaucracy.
In the Octagon, it was a night to remember for Dvalishvili, who proved too strong for O'Malley in their main event rematch.
The reigning bantamweight champion secured his first-ever UFC submission following a brutal choke-out.
And he celebrated by vaulting out of the Octagon for a handshake and words with Trump.
The President also shook hands with a devastated O'Malley, who was able to leave the Octagon under his own steam after the choke.
"He was well trained, he was well prepared, and I knew that he was going to make changes," Dvalishvili told reporters after the third round win.
"Every time I lost I made big changes and I learned from it.
"But I'm getting better and better. I wasn't showing this technique [before] and I have more tools in my pocket I'm still working on, and then little by little I will show.
"Now it's my time."
Elsewhere on the main card, there were also wins for Kayla Harrison, Joe Pyfer, Holland, and Mario Bautista.
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