Miami, Florida — US President Donald Trump made a grand entrance at UFC 314 on Saturday night, receiving a standing ovation from thousands of fans. The atmosphere was electric as the crowd erupted in cheers, waving MAGA hats as he walked in.
As he entered the venue, Trump exchanged greetings with popular podcast host Joe Rogan, who was seated nearby. On his other side was billionaire and chief of the Department of Government Efficiency. Dressed in a dark suit paired with a bright yellow tie, Trump raised his fist in the air, generating more applause while ‘Taking Care of Business’ played in the background.
Trump brought along notable figures from his administration, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., FBI Director Kash Patel, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Communications aides Steven Cheung and Taylor Budowich also accompanied him. Additionally, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Senator Ted Cruz were present at the event.
The president walked into the arena with UFC President Dana White and his granddaughter, Kai Trump, the daughter of Donald Trump Jr. Throughout the night, the UFC jumbotron frequently highlighted Trump, which led to roars of approval from the sold-out audience.
The crowd often joined together to chant “U-S-A!” as Trump stood up from his seat to dance along to the Village People’s “YMCA,” further igniting the excitement in the arena.
During the fights, Trump took time to shake hands with fans and leaned in to chat with Elon Musk, who was seen at times with his son on his shoulders. However, Trump remained mostly seated, occasionally interacting with fighters as they came to the edge of the ring.
As a well-known UFC fan, Trump has consistently shown support for the sport, attending major fights regularly. UFC 314 marked his first visit to a UFC event since taking office in January. This event came just weeks after he attended the LIV Golf tournament in Miami, hosted at his club.
In addition to UFC events, Trump has previously attended the Super Bowl and the Daytona 500. Last November, he was cageside at another UFC championship fight in New York City shortly after he won the 2024 election.
The highlight of the night was the championship bout featuring former Australian champion Alexander Volkanovski against Brazilian fighter Diego Lopes, who competed for the featherweight title. Volkanovski won decisively by unanimous decision, with judges scoring the fight 49-46 and 48-47.
Trump’s presence at UFC 314 was significant, considering Miami supported him by about 11 percentage points in the recent election. He arrived in West Palm Beach the day before for his tenth visit to South Florida since taking office, enjoying an evening at his Mar-a-Lago estate before flying to Miami after playing golf.
“You know who’s going to win? Dana White. Dana White’s gonna win,” Trump stated to reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday night. His strong ties to UFC have played a key role in bolstering his appeal among young male voters as he prepares for the upcoming November 2024 election.
