Donald Trump arrives at UFC 309 in MSG; crowd roars for President-elect weeks after historic rally

Donald Trump made a triumphant instrumentality to Madison Square Garden Saturday nighttime arsenic the president-elect, basking successful the thunderous applause of fans astatine UFC 309 conscionable weeks aft holding a historical rally wrong the "World’s Most Famous Arena."

Trump has often attended UFC events, but this was his archetypal since winning the predetermination Nov. 5 implicit Vice President Kamala Harris. The sold-out assemblage of 19,500 applauded and cheered arsenic helium waved to the crowd, entering with UFC brag Dana White.

Anticipation built up each week that Trump would look astatine the fight, and rumors were confirmed by Margo Martin, Trump’s lawman manager of communications, who changeable video of the President-elect entering his pitchy to question to New York. 

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FILE - Then-Republican statesmanlike nominee erstwhile President Donald Trump speaks during a run event, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, successful Mint Hill, N.C.  (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

A photograph from wrong the pitchy showed Trump watching the preliminary fights alongside Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who helium named earlier this week arsenic his prime to tally the Department of Health and Human Services.

Kennedy, who began the 2024 run arsenic a Democratic candidate, suspended his bid and joined forces with Trump successful August, becoming a almighty surrogate and a adjacent confidante successful the last months of the race.

Other cardinal members of Trump's squad were there. Vivek Ramaswamy, an aboriginal 2024 Republican statesmanlike campaigner who dropped retired of the contention and threw his enactment down Trump, tweeted retired a representation of him with Kid Rock astatine the Madison Square Garden fight. It was not wide if they flew with Trump oregon traveled separately. 

Ramaswamy and Elon Musk person been appointed to tally what Team Trump is calling the Department of Government Efficiency, which intends to basal retired trillions of dollars successful discarded and fraud successful the national budget.

Trump and White are longtime friends, the second making respective appearances during Trump’s run starring up to the election.

DONALD TRUMP HEADS TO UFC 309, EXPECTED TO RECEIVE RAUCOUS CHEERS AFTER ELECTION WIN

White, who said Trump is simply a "big fan" of mixed martial arts, was coy astir rumors Trump was heading to the Garden during an interrogation with TMZ Sports. 

"I deliberation that thing is possible," White said with a smile. "Who knows? He could popular in."

White added that a bulk of his organization’s instrumentality basal has shown emotion to Trump implicit the years. 

Jun 1, 2024; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Former President Donald Trump talks with UFC President Dana White during the combat betwixt Cesar Almeida (red gloves) and Roman Kopylov (blue gloves) during UFC 302 astatine Prudential Center. (Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)

"When you deliberation astir combatant walkouts, whenever a combatant walks retired to the [octagon], I mean, the 2 biggest that really shingle the arena are President Trump and Conor McGregor," White said. "If helium comes [Saturday] night, it volition decidedly beryllium fun."

Trump showed up astatine the Prudential Center successful Newark, New Jersey, for UFC 302 successful June, wherever a thunderous applause rained down from the assemblage arsenic well.

Former Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler, who is backmost successful the octagon aft much than 2 years since his past fight, is simply a noted Trump protagonist and hoped helium would beryllium successful attendance. 

"I did spot Trump, and helium said, "I’ll either beryllium determination connected Nov. 16 due to the fact that we won the election, or, if I lost, I’ll beryllium depressed, and I won’t amusement up.’ Obviously, helium won the election, truthful it sounds similar he’s going to beryllium there," Chandler said. 

Chandler added that winning his combat successful beforehand of Trump would beryllium an "honor."

Dana White speaks adjacent to Republican statesmanlike nominee erstwhile U.S. President Donald Trump during his rally for the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election, successful Palm Beach County Convention Center, successful West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., November 6, 2024.  (Brendan McDermid / Reuters)

Trump's Oct. 27 rally astatine Madison Square Garden was a momentous lawsuit successful his campaign, and featured a lineup of speakers that rivaled a governmental convention. 

Dozens of elected leaders, Trump's sons, Don Jr . and Eric, woman Melania, Elon Musk, and moving mate JD Vance each spoke earlier Trump took the stage. The rally drew a packed location and thousands much supporters milled astir connected the streets extracurricular the legendary arena.

White besides spoke astatine the MSG rally, informing voters that Harris is "status quo" for an America helium believed was successful hopeless request of change. 

"She tin get your party’s information without adjacent facing voters," White said. "What else? What other tin she connection the American radical different than vague promises and nary plan?

"She talks a batch astir the request for alteration and her anticipation for the future. Hope and change. Does that dependable familiar? She tin usage the aged Obama playbook, but she’s not Obama, and she is nary cause of change. She is the sitting vice president of the United States close now. What she hopes is voters volition absorption connected the aboriginal due to the fact that she doesn’t privation america looking astatine the past 4 years to spot what we truly request to change."

Republican statesmanlike nominee erstwhile President Donald Trump pumps his fist arsenic helium arrives to talk astatine a run lawsuit astatine Nassau Coliseum, Wednesday, Sept.18, 2024, successful Uniondale, N.Y. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

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Chandler is simply a portion of the co-main lawsuit for UFC 309 and volition combat Charles Oliveira. Jon "Bones" Jones besides enters the octagon aft a agelong hiatus and volition beryllium an overwhelming favourite implicit Stipe Miocic. 

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