UFC’s White touts Trump as hard worker on final night of RNC

WASHINGTON — Self-made Las Vegas businessman Dana White, president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, praised his friend, Donald Trump, on the final night of the Republican National Convention.

“I am friends with the president,” White said. “I spoke at this convention four years ago and I am back because I believe in President Trump’s leadership.”

White, 51, heads the largest mixed martial arts fighting league in the nation. He endorsed Trump in 2016 at the RNC in Cleveland.

His remarks Thursday were taped and aired before live speeches that were delivered on the White House South Lawn.

White and Trump struck up a friendship years ago. In 2001, the UFC held an event at Trump’s Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. It was dubbed, “UFC 30: Battle of the Boardwalk.” It was a venue and an event that helped the fledgling UFC under White.

Trump invited White to speak at the RNC in 2016, where he endorsed Trump, who went on to win the presidency.

White’s comments Thursday were part of a videotape on athletes that included images of baseball great Lou Gehrig, golf phenom Tiger Woods, Stanley Cup winning teams and others.

White grew up in Boston and was a boxer before he moved to Las Vegas, where he became a promoter and a partner in the UFC mixed martial arts league.

Earlier this year, Trump tapped White to serve on the White House coronavirus task force. White praised Trump for trying to reintroduce entertainment and encouraging live sporting events during the pandemic.

“The UFC was the first to do it, and we are continuing to do it,” White said. “Now, other sports have joined us.”

Still, the Las Vegas businessman conceded, “we have a long way to go.”

But White said, “no one, and I mean no one, is going to out work this guy.”

The boxer-turned-promoter becomes the fourth person from Las Vegas to speak at the RNC.

Earlier this week, Trump pardoned convicted bank robber Jon Ponder, who was released from incarceration in 2009 and started a ministry, Hope for Prisoners.

Ponder appeared at the White House with Richard Beasley, the former FBI agent who made the arrest and helped Ponder turn his life around.

The convention kicked off Monday with a prayer by Pastor Norma Urrabazo of the International Church of Las Vegas.

Contact Gary Martin at gmartin@reviewjournal or 202-662-7390. Follow @garymartindc on Twitter.