Former President Donald Trump made a surprise visit to UFC 316 in Newark, New Jersey, on Saturday night. This appearance was notable, in part, for the absence of Elon Musk, who had accompanied Trump to a previous UFC event.
Trump was seated cageside to watch the fights, including the title bout between Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O`Malley.
Arriving at the Prudential Center accompanied by UFC President Dana White, Trump was met with enthusiastic cheers from the packed crowd. He took his seat close to boxing legend Mike Tyson and interacted with other attendees, including former NFL players Will Compton and Taylor Lewan.
Several members of Trump`s family were also in the audience, including his son Eric, daughter Ivanka, and her husband Jared Kushner, along with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Trump had arrived in New Jersey the day prior, staying at his golf course in Bedminster.
During the event, Trump shared a high five with fighter Kevin Holland after his submission victory over Vicente Luque. Later, following the main event, Trump exchanged words of encouragement with the winning Georgian fighter, Merab Dvalishvili.
The absence of former associate Elon Musk was particularly noticeable. Their relationship had reportedly deteriorated earlier in the week following disagreements over Trump`s proposed policies. Trump had publicly commented that Musk had “gone crazy.”
Despite Musk being a significant past contributor to Trump`s presidential campaign, and having attended Trump`s previous UFC appearance at UFC 314 in Miami, Trump recently indicated the working relationship was likely over. He stated he was “too busy doing other things” and had “no intention of speaking to him,” citing past support he claimed to have given Musk during his presidency.
Trump and Musk`s Complex Relationship History
The relationship between Donald Trump and Elon Musk has seen fluctuations. Initially rocky, it appeared to improve significantly, with Musk endorsing Trump and conducting interviews with him. Their past public disagreements included Trump calling Musk a “liar” and Musk suggesting Trump step aside. However, meetings at Mar-a-Lago seemed to mend fences, leading to Musk`s endorsement and Trump adopting a more positive stance on electric vehicles, which he linked to Musk`s support. Musk was even reportedly chosen to lead a taskforce on government efficiency. The recent public spat over policy indicates their relationship has once again become strained.
Back in the Octagon, Merab Dvalishvili secured a memorable victory against Sean O`Malley in the main event rematch. The bantamweight champion achieved his first UFC submission win with a decisive choke-out.
In a striking moment, Dvalishvili celebrated his win by vaulting out of the cage to shake hands and share words with Trump. Trump also offered condolences to Sean O`Malley after his loss.
Speaking to reporters after his third-round win, Dvalishvili commented on his opponent, saying, “He was well trained, he was well prepared, and I knew that he was going to make changes… But I’m getting better and better. I wasn’t showing this technique [before] and I have more tools in my pocket I’m still working on, and then little by little I will show. Now it’s my time.”
Other winners on the main card included Kayla Harrison, Joe Pyfer, Kevin Holland, and Mario Bautista. Trump received a notably positive reception from the crowd throughout the evening.
Elton Marrow