Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping has offered his perspective on how political leadership might influence the composition of major combat sports events, particularly those with presidential ties.
Bisping spoke candidly about hypothetical scenarios involving different political administrations in his podcast. He suggested that partisan preferences could shape the roster of high-profile athletic competitions.
“If the Democrats were involved, okay. If they were running the White House right now, there’d be a lot, there would be a lot, a lot of female fighters on this card, okay, there’d also be a lot of international flavor, but it’s America. It’s the Republicans, it’s Donald Trump. They want a lot of Americans,” Bisping explained.
President Donald Trump announced plans to host a UFC card on the White House grounds as part of the upcoming America250 celebrations marking the nation’s 250th birthday. Speaking at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa, Trump revealed that UFC president Dana White would organize the bout, calling it a “full card” expected to draw up to 25,000 attendees. Trump, a longtime supporter of the UFC, emphasized the significance of the event, saying, “We have a lot of land there.” The White House press secretary confirmed the plan, stating Trump was “dead serious” and calling it “EPIC.” The card is one of many events Trump promised for 2026, including celebrations at national parks and a massive festival on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
UFC CEO Dana White made his own commentary on Instagram, writing “This will be epic!!!” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had a similar statement on X, and reportedly said Trump was “dead serious” about the idea.
