Amid the electrifying atmosphere of UFC 296 in Las Vegas, former President Donald Trump was greeted with a standing ovation as he made his way to his seat at the T-Mobile Arena. Accompanied by rock artist Kid Rock and UFC’s head honcho Dana White, Trump’s arrival sparked a wave of enthusiasm among the crowd.
This marked Trump’s fourth appearance at a UFC event in 2023 alone, following visits to other major fights across the country, including in New York, Miami, and a previous event in Las Vegas.
A notable moment of the night was when Trump cheered for Colby Covington, a fighter known for his vocal support of the former president. Covington, who was vying to reclaim the welterweight title from Britain’s Leon Edwards, had showcased his allegiance to Trump prior to the fight by wearing a jacket emblazoned with Trump’s image during media interactions.
Covington, who paid a visit to Trump at Mar-a-Lago earlier in the month, had expressed his admiration for Trump on the Full-Send Podcast, saying, “I’m his biggest fan, and he’s my biggest role model.”
Despite Covington’s confidence, the championship match did not go in his favor, with Edwards securing a unanimous decision victory. In his post-fight address, Covington seized the opportunity to praise Trump’s political vision for the country.
Trump, leveraging the fervor of the fight night, didn’t miss a beat to continue his 2024 presidential campaign trail, making a strategic stop in New Hampshire before the event. There, he conducted a rally, during which he delivered a fervent critique of President Joe Biden’s immigration policies.