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Tag: donald trump

  • Coach On Donald Trump Calling Khabib Nurmagomedov Favorite UFC Fighter

    Coach On Donald Trump Calling Khabib Nurmagomedov Favorite UFC Fighter

    Shortly after his latest corner assignment in Abu Dhabi last Saturday, Khabib Nurmagomedov received some kind words from a figure that has been on record as a big fan of his.

    The former US President Donald Trump has always been tied to the sport of MMA to some degree and just like any fight fan, he has his favorites.

    Trump has mentioned the former lightweight champion in the past and even posted on social media about it, after meeting him whilst in attendance at UFC 302.

    During a recent stream alongside Adin Ross, he said that “The Eagle” is number one on his own personal list.

    Nurmagomedov’s long-time coach turned fellow corner Javier Mendez gave his reaction to this in a recent interview with Red Corner MMA.

    “No I haven’t seen it and I’m not surprised, Donald Trump has spoken always highly about Khabib and what a great fighter he thinks and also, Donald Trump from the very beginning back when the UFC just started and they would get into the Trump Towers, their hotels and Donald Trump was one of the few people that took a chance on them back in the day. So, Donald Trump’s an MMA fan so not surprising that he would choose ‘The Eagle’ because we all choose ‘The Eagle’, I choose ‘The Eagle’.”

    Javier Mendez On Why The UFC Decided To Release New Conor McGregor & Khabib Nurmagomedov Footage

    On July 15, the UFC released the latest episode of their “UFC Muted” series on YouTube which strips away the commentary so you can hear audio from fights that wasn’t possible before.

    The subject of this particular instalment was sure to bring attention due to it being no-commentary clips of the biggest fight in UFC history, Conor McGregor vs “The Eagle”.

    Mendez was asked to give his thoughts on why the UFC decided to release this footage at this time in particular.

    He explained how in his opinion, this was done to keep Nurmagomedov in the spotlight ahead of his return to the corner this past weekend, where he helped his cousin Umar Nurmagomedov to stay undefeated against Cory Sandhagen in the main event.

    He said that the promotion knows what they’re doing and if they can’t have the former champion back inside the Octagon, they’ll look to make the most out of his star quality in other ways.

    “I believe the UFC’s genius at what they do. I believe they’re building the ‘young eagle’ situation because Khabib was in the corner and they showed the corner. Why would you show the corners if you’re not trying to build that as a corner. So no, UFC, they go with the algorithm, they know what they’re doing and I believe that’s what they’re doing. They’re building up Khabib as the next great coach and he is. He’s on track to being the next great coach if not the greatest coach. So I believe the UFC is playing that narrative because that’s a smart move on their part.”

    Read also: Javier Mendez Chooses Between Khabib & Umar Nurmagomedov In Striking, Grappling, Mental Toughness, & Chin

  • Conor McGregor Brands Donald Trump’s Pick For His Favorite UFC Fighter A ‘Campaign-Ending Decision’

    Conor McGregor Brands Donald Trump’s Pick For His Favorite UFC Fighter A ‘Campaign-Ending Decision’

    Former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor was not pleased to see the name Donald Trump produced when asked for his favorite fighter.

    The former United States president recently appeared for an interview with Internet personality Adin Ross, during which he named legendary former UFC lightweight kingpin Khabib Nurmagomedov as top of his fighter list.

    Among those snubbed were Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal, both of whom have pledged heavy public support for Trump across recent years.

    Also not getting a mention was McGregor, who unsurprisingly had something to say after hearing the name of his biggest rival on the ex-president’s lips…

    McGregor Has Expected Response After Trump Picks Khabib

    McGregor and Khabib had one of the most heated UFC feuds of all time, with public altercations and controversial remarks from the Irishman fueling an immense amount of bad blood in the lead-up to their UFC 229 main event in 2018.

    And that boiled over following the Russian’s submission win, with Nurmagomedov vaulting the Octagon fence and attacking McGregor’s corner, sparking a brawl inside T-Mobile Arena.

    In the years since, McGregor has kept his sights on “The Eagle,” frequently targeting him, his teammates, his religion, his late father, and his country on social media.

    That trend continued in response to Khabib’s selection as Trump’s favorite fighter, with the Irishman jokingly branding it a “campaign-ending decision” from the Republican presidential nominee.

    Conor McGregor

    “Campaign ending decision, McGregor wrote. “A smelly fat mountain monkey from the inbred mountains of Dagestan is your favorite UFC (AMERICAN COMPANY) fighter? Wow. Abysmal.”

    McGregor previously expressed support for Trump after he was the target of an assassination attempt while speaking at a rally in Pennsylvania last month.

    Evidently, the Irishman’s hatred for Khabib is enough to put anyone in the firing line should they express admiration or appreciation for the Russian’s career.

  • ‘Absolutely Sick To My Stomach’ – Dana White, Conor McGregor, & Other UFC Figures React To Shooting At Donald Trump Rally

    ‘Absolutely Sick To My Stomach’ – Dana White, Conor McGregor, & Other UFC Figures React To Shooting At Donald Trump Rally

    Donald Trump, the 45th U.S. President and likely Republican nominee in the upcoming U.S. presidential election, is reportedly safe after being rushed off stage following an apparent assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

    The Associated Press reports that Trump said “Oh” and grabbed at his ear when the shots first rang out, with the presumptive Republican nominee crouching down as two more shots were heard.

    Trump was tackled on stage by agents, who were covering to protect him from the gunfire, as screams were heard throughout the thousands gathered for the rally. When Trump got back to his feet, he appeared to have blood on his face but pumped his fist as he was escorted off stage and away from the scene.

    Spokesman Steven Cheung subsequently released the following statement.

    “President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act. He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow.”

    Multiple reports, citing Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger, state that a suspected gunman and at least one member of the rally’s audience were killed.

    UFC Fighters & Personalities React To Apparent Trump Shooting

    https://twitter.com/TheNotoriousMMA/status/1812263823421981090
    https://twitter.com/Actionman513/status/1812267379050901598
    https://twitter.com/milesxjohns/status/1812272401234960671
    https://twitter.com/Actionman513/status/1812269665365966914
    https://twitter.com/urketaraketa/status/1812274662627483785

    Trump and UFC CEO Dana White have had a long-standing loyalty and friendship to one another dating back to the UFC’s early days. When Zuffa purchased the promotion at the start of 2001, the first two events (UFC 30 and UFC 31) were held at the then-Trump Taj Mahal (now the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino) in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

    White was a big supporter of Trump during the 2016 and 2020 elections and appeared to continue to be such with Trump being the presumptive Republican Party nominee for the 2024 election.

    The Pennsylvania rally was the last Trump was holding prior to the start of the Republican National Convention that begins on July 15.

  • Dana White Says We’re In ‘Scary Times’ After YouTube Censors Trump

    UFC President Dana White isn’t happy with YouTube’s decision to take down a recent podcast appearance by former US President Donald Trump.

    White and Trump have been friends for years, stemming from Trump’s previous involvement with the UFC in the early Zuffa years when the promotion struggled to find venues for events. The UFC held events at Trump’s Taj Mahal hotel in Atlantic City, NJ for UFC 28, UFC 30, and UFC 31.

    White has also been a proud supporter of Trump’s recent U.S. presidential campaigns in 2016 and 2020. He was a speaker at various rallies and conferences in support of Trump’s political aspirations.

    Controversy ensued during Trump’s recent appearance on the FULL SEND podcast, and White has a strong relationship with the hosts of the show. Trump used part of his appearance to claim that the 2020 US Presidential election was stolen from him in favor of Joe Biden.

    Just days after the full podcast episode was posted to YouTube, the website took it down allegedly because of Trump’s controversial remarks about the election.

    In a recent appearance on Logan Paul’s IMPAULSIVE podcast, White ripped YouTube for their decision to censor Trump.

    “Total crock of shit. Total crock of shit, White said. “But you saw in the podcast, Trump told them, ‘This podcast will be taken down.’ He told them that. He knew it. It’s crazy…

    How the UFC became the sports arm of Donald Trump's Maga regime | UFC | The Guardian
    Dana White, Donald Trump

    “The fact that Trump’s podcast with FULL SEND got taken down is fuckin’ disgusting and, more importantly, it’s scary. Very fuckin’ scary.”

    The topic of cancel culture has been a hot topic in recent years. Social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook have taken controversial stances to silence people with different viewpoints, like Trump.

    White went on to elaborate on why YouTube’s decision could create a bad precedent.

    “First of all, you have to start looking at alternative social media platforms that don’t censor. And it’s easy (when) you got a guy that you don’t like, like Trump. ‘Oh, fuck him,’ you know what I mean? ‘Good. We don’t have to see his tweets and we don’t have to do this and that.’ Till you say something they don’t like or until somebody else says something they don’t like. This country was built on free speech, man. It’s our god-given right…

    “When you have a company, or corporation, or government that can come in and fuckin’ tell you what you can and can’t say, we’re in a scary place.”

    Trump has hinted at a third run for president in 2024, although it hasn’t been formally announced that he intends to run again.

    As for White, he’s expected to be in attendance for the UFC’s return across the pond at the UFC London event this weekend, headlined by a heavyweight matchup between Tom Aspinall and Alexander Volkov.

    Do you agree with Dana White?

  • Donald Trump: Joe Rogan Is Not A Racist

    Former US president Donald J. Trump has again come to Joe Rogan’s defense.

    Joe Rogan recently came under fire for past race-related remarks on his podcast The Joe Rogan Experience. There were two videos, in particular, that went viral after multi-platinum R&B singer India Arie among others shared them on social media.

    In one video, Rogan says he was in “Planet of the Apes” when he unexpectedly found himself in an all-black neighborhood while on his way to watch that very movie. The other video is a compilation of Rogan saying the N-word multiple times in various conversations held on his podcast.

    Rogan apologized for both videos and was showered with support from the vocal majority of the MMA community, including UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya, who strongly vouched for Rogan. Other figures outside of the sport, such as Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, have spoken out against Rogan.

    Arguably the most influential figure to speak on the subject was former United States president Donald Trump. Trump defended Rogan and also advised him to stop apologizing to the “radical left.”

    Donald Trump Defends Joe Rogan Against Racism Accusations

    Donald Trump
    Image Credit: Steven Ryan/Getty Images

    During an appearance on the FULL SEND PODCAST, Trump doubled-down on his advice for Rogan to not apologize while also vouching for Rogan not being racist.

    “Joe Rogan’s not a racist,” Trump said. “And he’s a very interesting guy that people like listening to. But they’ve been hitting him very hard. I did tell him one thing: stop apologizing. Stop apologizing.”

    Many people have also accused Trump of being racist for various reasons, particularly since he entered politics. Trump has always rejected this categorization and has argued that his presidency had a historically positive impact on the African-American community. He’s also pointed out the support he has received from some black voters and influential African Americans.

    Trump may not be done with his legacy as president, as he also hinted that he might run in the 2024 US Presidential Election, stating that “people will be very happy” when he was asked if he will run again.

    As for Joe Rogan, after sitting out UFC 271 at the peak of this controversy, the iconic commentator returned to the booth for UFC 272: Covington vs. Masvidal last weekend, where Covington and many fans had the opportunity to shower him with support in person.

    What are your thoughts on Donald Trump’s support for Joe Rogan?

  • Joe Rogan Responds To Criticisms About Apologizing For Past Remarks

    Joe Rogan is hitting back at criticisms of his apology for a viral video that showed him repeatedly using a racial slur in past podcast episodes.

    Rogan has been under fire in recent weeks on a variety of issues. Many subscribers and musical artists on Spotify have called for him to be canceled after past race-related remarks along with alleged misinformation regarding COVID-19 vaccines.

    Shortly after a compilation of Rogan saying the ‘N-Word’ went viral courtesy of musical artist India Arie, Rogan took to Instagram to apologize for his past racial slur use. This prompted some, including former U.S. president Donald Trump, to question why Rogan felt the need to apologize for past statements published without context.

    During a recent stand-up comedy performance at the Vulcan Gas Company in Austin, TX, Rogan addressed critics of his recent apology video. The following was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

    “You should apologize if you regret something,” Rogan said. “This idea that you should never apologize. Like if you regret something, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with apologizing…

    “Somebody made a compilation of every time I said that word over 14 years and they put it on YouTube, and it turned out that was racist as f*ck. Even to me!” (h/t MMA Fighting)

    Many UFC fighters, including former champion Rashad Evans, have come to the defense of Rogan after the racial slur-filled video went viral. Rogan is expected to remain on the commentary team for the upcoming UFC 271 pay-per-view, headlined by a middleweight title fight between Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker.

    Spotify has remained firm in its stance that Rogan’s JRE podcast will remain on the platform, despite a plethora of calls to have it removed.

    What are your thoughts on the recent Joe Rogan controversies?

  • Donald Trump Advises Joe Rogan: You’ve Got To Stop Apologizing

    45th President of the United States Donald Trump believes Joe Rogan should man up and stop apologizing.

    Joe Rogan has come under fire for allegedly spreading and facilitating “deadly misinformation” on his Joe Rogan Experience podcast. These accusations have led to Rock & Roll Music Hall of Famers Neil Young and Joni Mitchell requesting to have their music pulled from Spotify as a response to the podcast remaining on the streaming platform.

    In response, Rogan clarified the objective of the podcast is not to be controversial or intentionally present contrarian views. Instead, it is used as a platform for various voices to engage in an open exchange of ideas, opinions, and viewpoints, even when Rogan himself doesn’t agree with a guest. Rogan apologized if he made anyone angry, stating this was not and has never been his intention.

    Over the weekend, Rogan found himself in hot water again. This time, past race-related remarks came back to haunt the versatile public figure when it was revealed that he has said “n***er” multiple times throughout the history of his podcast.

    Another video resurfaced where he said he was in “Planet of the Apes” when he arrived in an all-black neighborhood. Rogan apologized for both videos and insisted that he did not and would not ever intentionally express anything racist for the sake of entertainment or for any other reason.

    Donald Trump Has Heard Enough

    SF Giants kneeling anthem protest draws angry Donald Trump tweet
    Donald Trump, Getty Images

    Former US President Donald J. Trump has heard enough. In a statement released Monday night, he issued the following response to Rogan’s trifecta of apologies:

    “Joe Rogan is an interesting and popular guy, but he’s got to stop apologizing to the Fake News and Radical Left maniacs and lunatics.

    “How many ways can you say you’re sorry? Joe, just go about what you do so well and don’t let them make you look weak and frightened. That’s not you and it never will be!”

    Before and during his presidency, Trump was often praised for his ability to say what he feels without standing on ceremony and being politically correct like other politicians. However, even Trump has apologized on rare occasions.

    In 2016, he apologized for “locker room banter” where he is heard on tape talking about groping women. In 2018, he issued a partial apology for retweeting content that was widely deemed to be “anti-Muslim.” And in 2019, he is reported to have personally reached out to apologize to someone he weight-shamed at a Trump rally.

    Regarding the issues of COVID-19, while Rogan has spoken about alternative ways to combat the virus, Trump has come out and vouched for the efficacy of the vaccines. From a policy standpoint, you can learn more about his thoughts and actions connected to the COVID-19 pandemic here.

    As far as the subject of race, Trump has often been accused of being racist by many people and for various reasons, so this response likely will not come as a surprise to this camp.

    However, Trump has always scoffed at and denied this categorization. In fact, in addition to touting his notable African-American supporters, he has claimed that no one has done more for black people except for perhaps Abraham Lincoln. You can view a recap of Trump’s policies in connection to the African-Americans here.

    On a lighter note and on the MMA front, Trump is currently caught in the middle of an upcoming main event between Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal, both of whom claim to have the support of 45 heading into their UFC 273 grudge match.

    Trump has attended UFC events in the past, so perhaps he will be there and reveal which of the two fighters has his backing. And should one of the two fighters get blatantly snubbed in the process, they shouldn’t hold their breath on an apology.

    What are your thoughts on Donald Trump’s statement regarding the Joe Rogan controversy?

  • Colby Covington Blasts Masvidal After Claim That Trump’s Taking His Side

    UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington denies the notion that Jorge Masvidal has the support of former U.S. president Donald Trump.

    After months and years of bad blood boiling between Covington and Masvidal, the two welterweights will go to battle at UFC 272. The former friends turned enemies will finally square off after a long period of fans clamoring for the matchup to happen.

    Covington has long claimed that he’s Trump’s favorite fighter, despite not voting for him during the 2016 U.S. presidential election. He did support Trump in 2020 and was a guest of his during one of the presidential debates against Joe Biden.

    The mental warfare between Covington and Masvidal is underway ahead of their fight. During the recent UFC 270 weigh-in show, Covington blasted Masvidal for claiming that the former president is rooting for him in their upcoming fight.

    “I’m still team captain,” Covington said. “I’m still Jorge’s daddy, and he’s just following in the footsteps of his daddy. He wants to be just like me so much that he wants to do everything I do. But let’s be honest, did Jorge even vote for Donald Trump? Because I know I did. I’d love for the voters out there to go look it up and see if Jorge actually voted for Trump. I don’t know if they let felons vote for Trump. It’s good we have a felon on the Republican side because there’s so many felons and criminals on the liberal side.”

    Covington and Masvidal are both coming off of losses to UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman in 2021. Masvidal got knocked out by Usman at UFC 261, while Covington lost in a title rematch at UFC 268.

    In addition to the desire for both fighters to stay relevant in the welterweight title picture, bragging rights are on the line between Masvidal and Covington. Depending on how their fight plays out at UFC 272, this could be the first chapter to a potential all-time rivalry in the UFC.

    What is your prediction for Colby Covington vs. Jorge Masvidal?

  • Jorge Masvidal Thinks Donald Trump Favors Him Over Colby Covington

    Jorge Masvidal thinks he has the support of former U.S. President Donald Trump ahead of his grudge match with Colby Covington at UFC 272.

    Masvidal is set to face his former American Top Team teammate and friend Covington in the UFC 272 main event. It’s arguably one of the most highly anticipated welterweight fights in recent memory.

    Masvidal and Covington may not have a lot in common anymore, but both of them have a history with former president Trump leading up to their fight. Trump attended Masvidal’s win over Nate Diaz for the BMF belt at UFC 244, and Masvidal was a big supporter of his 2020 re-election campaign.

    Masvidal also has a strong relationship with the Trump family as a whole and teamed up with Donald Trump Jr. to host a “Fighters Against Socialism” bus tour leading up to the election.

    Image via Covington’s Twitter account

    Covington has also been a vocal supporter of Trump over the years, especially after his win over Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 225. Just weeks after the fight, Covington was invited to the White House to meet with Trump alongside UFC President Dana White.

    Covington also attended one of the presidential debates between Trump and Joe Biden in 2020.

    Nevertheless, Masvidal believes he gets more love from the former president. During a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, Masvidal gave his opinion on who the 45th president will be rooting for on March 5.

    “There’s only one. Gamebred…for a fact, man,” Masvidal said. “Ask this dude. He knows what a fighter looks like. He was around boxing forever. He knows what a nuthugger, ass-kissing machine like Colby looks like. Colby tried to kiss his hand and Trump was weirded out. He tried to pull that shit back. That’s on video, man….

    “It’s me all day. Did Trump FaceTime with Colby’s ass and his kids? No. Trump did that with me.”

    The buildup to UFC 272 is expected to be drama-filled leading up to the fight between Masvidal and Covington. It’s unknown whether or not Trump plans to attend the fight in Las Vegas, but he’s likely to be a fixture of the pre-fight trash talk.

    What is your prediction for Jorge Masvidal vs. Colby Covington?