In a comprehensive interview with content creator ZombiemanJay, veteran MMA analyst Luke Thomas delivered a harsh critique of the UFC’s political transformation, arguing that the promotion has become inseparably tied to right-wing politics and dismissing claims that fans can simply “just watch the fights.”
Thomas, who has covered mixed martial arts for nearly two decades, did not hold back when addressing what he sees as the UFC’s deliberate shift toward a homogenized, right-wing audience.
“The people who say things to you like, ‘Why can’t you just watch the fights? Go f*** yourself, you absolute bum-ass liar,'”
Thomas stated during the discussion.
“You don’t mean that. No one means that.”
The seasoned analyst pointed to a clear contrast in how former President Donald Trump was received at UFC events, noting the dramatic shift from being booed at UFC 244 to receiving “rapturous applause” at UFC 309.
Thomas argued this change wasn’t organic but rather the result of intentional audience shaping by the promotion.
“What happened was they homogenized the fan base. They made it over time ideologically homogeneous. It did not used to be this way. People like you, people like me. We were not the majority. That is true. But there was way more of us then than now.”
Thomas described receiving numerous messages from fans, particularly African-American viewers and women, who expressed they could no longer watch UFC events due to the political climate.
“I have gotten letter after letter, email after email, DM after DM, comment after comment, statement after statement from people I know, friends, particularly my ones who are African-American and particularly the ones who are women who have said to me, ‘I can’t f*** watch this s*** anymore.'”
The upcoming UFC event at the White House became a major point of contention.
“This is political repayment for the UFC helping him to get elected,”
Thomas argued, dismissing official explanations as transparent attempts to
“launder why you’re doing it in the first place.”
Thomas traced the UFC’s evolution from what he described as a “big tent” approach during the mid-2000s boom to today’s narrower focus. He recalled how the promotion once emphasized diversity and inclusivity, even producing Pride Month merchandise with the slogan “we are all fighters” in rainbow colors — merchandise that has since been removed from the UFC store.
“Imagine going from that to this, which is now here’s the deal, gang. We don’t care if some of you leave. In fact, we’re completely cool with it,”
Thomas said, describing the promotion’s apparent willingness to alienate parts of its audience in favor of a more politically aligned base.
The analyst also addressed the broader implications for MMA media, suggesting that the sport’s political alignment has created barriers for diverse voices.
“I don’t think it’s coincidence just given where the sport is ideologically that we’ve never really had a sustained voice by even a black man or woman as an editorial voice in the sport,”
he observed.
Thomas warned that this political positioning could become a long-term issue for the UFC, noting that while the promotion secured a lucrative $1.1 billion annual deal through 2031,
“there’s already evidence that MMA is shrinking.”
He questioned what might happen if political winds shift while the UFC has
“told a pretty sizable portion of your audience you just don’t want them anymore.”
Throughout the discussion, Thomas maintained that acknowledging the UFC’s political transformation doesn’t require abandoning fandom entirely, but insisted that pretending the politics don’t exist is intellectually dishonest. His comments reflect growing tensions within the MMA community about the sport’s political direction and the challenges facing fans who feel increasingly unwelcome in what was once considered a more inclusive space.
