'MAN. MYTH. LEGEND.': Donald Trump's UFC walkout in Newark goes viral as crowd cheers and phones flash
US President Donald Trump entered the octagon tunnel at UFC 316 in Newark to a roaring standing ovation on Saturday night, momentarily setting aside his feud with tech billionaire Elon Musk to immerse himself in the energy of mixed martial arts.
He walked shoulder to shoulder with
UFC President Dana White
, a longtime ally, to the beat of Kid Rock's 'American Bad Ass.' The two settled into their cageside seats just as the pay-per-view action kicked off at the Prudential Center.
Phones in the air, cheers in the room
Fans inside the venue erupted as Trump made his entrance. Arms reached high to capture photos. Many cheered. Some stretched their phones skyward to record what they called a 'legendary' moment.
Trump shook hands as he walked the perimeter of the octagon. Among those he greeted was former world heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson. Trump also exchanged a handshake with UFC commentator Joe Rogan—who had hosted him for a long podcast interview during the final phase of last year's campaign.
He wasn't alone. Daughter Ivanka Trump, her husband Jared Kushner, son Eric Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio were all part of the President's entourage.
Live Events
A relationship that goes back decades
Trump's bond with the UFC isn't new. His association with Dana White dates back more than two decades. In 2001, White hosted a UFC event at Trump's former Atlantic City casino, the Trump Taj Mahal. Since then, Trump has repeatedly appeared at high-stakes UFC matches—especially during key political moments.
In previous events, Trump had been joined by Musk. But with their friendship now fractured, he arrived this time without the billionaire tech mogul. Instead, he was backed by loyal figures from both politics and the fight world—including, at various events, musician Kid Rock and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson.
'Epic' or 'cringe'? Online reaction splits
The public response was immediate and polarising.
'President Trump makes an EPIC entrance with Dana White at UFC in Newark, and the crowd went WILD. What a LEGEND,' one user posted.
Another added, 'Whoa, that's a seriously high-profile entrance! You know it's going to be an electric atmosphere with those two in the building.'
'It's still mind-blowing, hysterical, and epic that Trump decided he wanted to start walking out of the tunnel at UFC fights and now it's his thing,' said a netizen.
Others focused on his interaction with Rogan. 'That's what I call a 'Driven dude' friendly handshake when he shakes hands with Joe Rogan,' said one. 'Poor Joe Rogan getting his arm ripped off again,' quipped another.
But not everyone was impressed.
One critic posted, 'Probably the most cringe and lame part of UFC currently.' Another added, 'Waste of taxpayers' money again and again.'
At the fights, while LA unravels
Some online users used the occasion to comment on Trump's domestic policies—particularly his deployment of 2,000 California National Guard troops to deal with riots in Los Angeles.
'Hoping those 2,000 Guard members can help restore peace in LA safely,' a user commented.
'A little calling out of the National Guard with a little good time at the UFC fights. All in a day's work. I voted for this!' wrote another.
UFC fighter greets Trump from inside the cage
Back inside the arena, the fights went on. In the opening bout with Trump in the audience, Kevin Holland secured a submission win over Vicente Luque. Moments later, Holland climbed the cage and made his way to shake hands with Trump and Dana White, pausing briefly for a chat before returning for his post-fight interview.
Two championship bouts were on the card, with Julianna Peña and Merab Dvalishvili scheduled to defend their 135-pound titles. But for many in the building—and on social media—it was the President's walkout that drew the loudest reaction.
Trump may have arrived to watch the fights. But once again, he became the main event.
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Hindustan Times
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