UFC is set to stage a massive spectacle on the White House lawn this Sunday, commemorating the looming 250th anniversary of the United States of America. Trump and UFC boss Dana White have spoken effusively about their friendship with each other in the leadup to the event, which coincides with the president’s 80th birthday
Ahead of Sunday’s UFC Freedom 250, Front Office Sports spoke with Lavie Margolin, the author of Ultimate Fighters: Donald Trump, Dana White and UFC’s Road to the White House, about how the two business titans became so close.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
Front Office Sports: As you were researching this book, how did Dana White and Donald Trump meet?
Lavie Margolin: First, there has to be a little bit of mythbusting there. Perhaps Dana White is misremembering things or things have changed in someone’s mind over time. But, one of the important things is to have that clarity. So, UFC under the ownership of SEC, had booked the Trump Taj Mahal after receiving permission from the New Jersey Athletic Commission to run a show. And Dana White was actually there in supporting his jiujitsu instructor, John Lewis, who got knocked out at the event.
