Several months ago, my friend and talented podcast producer Elie Bleier approached me with an idea for a three-part audio series about Donald Trump, his relationship with the UFC, and the violent politics that unite them. His idea became the basis for Sports Politika’s first audio original series: In The Red Corner.
In 2001, the UFC was struggling both financially and with a tarnished reputation. Many venues refused to host its events due to the sport's notorious image as "human cockfighting." However, Donald Trump saw potential in the organization and opened the doors of his Atlantic City properties, including the Trump Taj Mahal, giving the UFC a crucial lifeline. His support played a key role in helping the UFC gain legitimacy, which eventually paved the way for its rise to mainstream success.
At least, that’s how the lore goes…
Nevertheless, Trump and UFC President Dana White forged a strong bond over time. White publicly endorsed Trump during his presidential campaigns, and Trump has attended numerous UFC events as a special guest. Their relationship underscores a shared defiance of establishment norms, driven by a focus on spectacle and entertainment. It also emphasized the UFC’s status as the sports arm of Trump’s MAGA movement.
In The Red Corner is the result of years of my reporting on the Trump-UFC connection—much of which was done for BloodyElbow (RIP)— and its unique role in modern U.S. politics. In this three-part series, we'll journey back to the UFC's early days and explore how Donald Trump gave the organization a crucial boost as politicians sought to shut it down. We’ll uncover how the UFC, in turn, supported Trump’s presidential campaigns, even enlisting championship fighters to enhance his public appeal. Finally, we’ll examine the connection between MMA and the January 6th Capitol insurrection, and how, despite the controversy, the UFC continued to stand by Trump, playing a role in rehabilitating his image leading up to the 2024 election.
In the Red Corner is an audio original series created by Karim Zidan and Elie Bleier. You can listen to the first episode below:
Karim Zidan is an investigative reporter focused on the intersection of sports and politics. He is also the founder of Sports Politika, a media venture dedicated to his niche. You can subscribe to Sports Politika here.