Dana White: Donald Trump told me he’d come to UFC 205 if he won election
Will Donald Trump be at UFC 205? UFC president Dana White told TMZ it's a possibility.
White said Trump told him that had he won the election he'd show at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 12 for the fights. Of course, that was a while ago — before Trump, the Republican nominee, became the United States president-elect Tuesday night in a victory over Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.
"Donald originally told me that he would come to the fight if he won," White told TMZ. "I don't think Donald really realized what his duties were gonna be had he won. I think he's meeting with Obama today. I don't know, we'll see."
Trump was indeed in Washington, D.C., on Thursday meeting with President Obama. White endorsed the polarizing Trump and spoke at the Republican National Convention. The two have been friends for more than 15 years, dating back to when Trump gave the UFC a chance in one of his Atlantic City casinos when no one else wanted to touch MMA.
"He's the president now," White said. "You know what I expect from him? I expect nothing. He went out there, he did it, he worked hard, he campaigned. He's the president now. He won. I don't expect to be on the phone with him every day or anything like that. I'm happy for him. And hopefully he gets in there and does good things for this country."
There were anti-Trump rallies in New York on Wednesday night, one day after the election. New York is a heavy Democratic state and Trump's rhetoric regarding immigrants, Muslims, and other groups have caused much trepidation across the country.
Still, many MMA fighters -- like Donald Cerrone (who fights Saturday), Tim Kennedy, and Chris Weidman -- and fans seem to be Trump supporters. Fans at Thursday's UFC 205 pre-fight press conference were spotted wearing "Make America Great Again" hats and assorted other Trump paraphernalia.
White said he won't be upset if Trump couldn't make it Saturday night.
"No pressure to come," White said. "But it wouldn't suck if he came."