US President Donald Trump attends UFC 316 hours after deploying National Guard
US President Donald Trump received a boisterous reception at UFC 316 in wild scenes, hours after he deployed the National Guard.
UFC
Don't miss out on the headlines from UFC. Followed categories will be added to My News.
He may have just deployed the National Guard, but that hasn’t stopped US President Donald Trump from attending his beloved UFC on Sunday (AEST).
President Trump stunned crowds on the other side of the country at UFC 316 New Jersey, appearing at the event less than an hour after deploying 2000 National Guard troops to immigration protests in LA.
UFC 316: Dvalishvili vs O’Malley 2 | SUN 8 JUN 12PM AEST | Bantamweight champ Dvalishvili faces UFC superstar O’Malley in a highly anticipated rematch less than a year after their first encounter | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
Among UFC fans at least, the president appears still very much in favour as he emerged from the bleachers with the promotion’s boss Dana White to rapturous applause.
The crowd at Newark’s Prudential Centre erupted as Mr Trump took his place in the front row in front of former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson.
Mr Trump was accompanied by his US secretary of state Marco Rubio, as well as Eric Trump, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner and UFC commentator Joe Rogan.
Watch Donald Trump arrive at the UFC in the video above
On notable absentee was Elon Musk, who had attended UFC fights with Mr Trump previously, but recently left his role cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) last week.
Trump has deployed 2,000 National Guard troops amid LA as clashes between federal agents and protesters angry over immigration enforcement raids stretch into a second night.
“President Trump has signed a Presidential Memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, blaming California’s “feckless” Democratic leaders.
“The Trump Administration has a zero tolerance policy for criminal behavior and violence, especially when that violence is aimed at law enforcement officers trying to do their jobs.”
About an hour before the White House confirmed the deployment, California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, said he opposed the move.
“That move is purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions,” he said on social media platform X. “We are in close coordination with the city and county, and there is currently no unmet need.”
Champ proves he’s a different beast
Merab Dvalishvili is an animal. The Georgian superstar dismantled Sean O’Malley for the second time with a submission finish.
Dvalishvili was on top through the opening two rounds before turning up the pressure in the third round.
After picking O’Malley up and dumping him on the canvas, the champ kept the pressure on before locking in a north-south choke and forcing the challenger to tap out.
New champ calls out GOAT, super fight set
Kayla Harrison’s illustrious career went a step further after she defeated Julianna Pena via a second round submission to claim the UFC’s bantamweight title.
Harrison, a two-time Olympic judo gold medalist, controlled the bout from the outset and forced Pena to tap with time running out in the second round.
After the fight Harrison revealed she almost quit in the days before the bout as she attempted to make weight.
Thankfully for fight fans she pulled through and got the job done before calling out UFC GOAT Amanda Nunes who was in attendance.
The retired Nunes was called into the Octagon and agreed on the spot to a superfight with Harrison.
While fans have long been waiting for a Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall showdown, Harrison vs Nunes has all the ingredients to be one of the biggest fights the UFC has seen.
UFC headlined by epic KO
In the main event at UFC 316, bantamweight champ Dvalishvili faces UFC superstar O’Malley in a highly anticipated rematch less than a year after their first encounter.
Mr Trump congratulated Kevin Holland after he defeated Vicente Luque in their welterweight fight.
Earlier on the undercard, Yoo Joo-sang delivered a brutal knockout — landing a left hook on Jeka Saragih that knocked him out cold and sent him falling face first to the canvas.
UFC 316 results
Main card
Merab Dvalishvili (c) def. Sean O’Malley via third-round submission (north-south choke) — bantamweight title
Kayla Harrison def. Julianna Pena (c) via second-round submission (kimura) — women’s bantamweight title
Joe Pyfer def. Kelvin Gastelum via UD (30-27, 29-27, 29-28) — middleweights
Mario Bautista def. Patchy Mix via unanimous decision (30-27 x3, 29-28) — bantamweights
Kevin Holland def. Vicente Luque via second-round submission (D’Arce choke) — welterweights
Prelims
Joshua Van def. Bruno Silva via third-round KO — flyweights
Azamat Murzakanov def. Brendson Ribeiro via first-round KO — light heavyweights
Waldo Cortes-Acosta def. Serghei Spivac via UD (29-28 x2, 30-27) — heavyweights
Andreas Gustafsson def. Khaos Williams via UD (30-26 x2, 30-27) — welterweights
Early prelims
Wang Cong def. Ariane da Silva via UD (30-27 x3) — women’s flyweights
Yoo Joo-sang def. Jeka Saragih via first-round KO — featherweights
Quillan Salkilld def. Yanal Ashmouz via UD (29-28 x2, 30-27) — lightweights
Marquel Mederos defeats Mark Choinski via UD (30-27 x2, 29-28) — lightweights
More Coverage
Originally published as US President Donald Trump attends UFC 316 hours after deploying National Guard
Outrage over bare knuckle fighting event
Opponents of a bare knuckle fighting event say one state will have blood on its hands if there is a death during the competition.
Storm erupts as star rejects host’s handshake
The reason behind former UFC king Khabib Nurmagomedov’s rejection of a popular football host has sparked a social media frenzy.