We’re just a few days away from one of the greatest public spectacles we have seen in our lifetimes. An event so unapologetically backwards that we might think we were watching a comedy, or an apocalyptic fantasy film.
On Sunday, June 14th, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will hold its Freedom 250 card on the White House lawn. Yes, that White House.
Not since the days of gladiators in the Colosseum has a ruler been entertained in this way, with the event marking Donald Trump’s 80th birthday, along with America’s 250th anniversary. The over-the-top scenery and mega promotion for the fights add to the impact and grandeur. This is a culturally groundbreaking event.
Whether that ground is good or bad is a matter of perspective. I’m a martial artist and MMA fan, so seeing the sport I follow most front and center is cool. But there are serious issues with the show.
The political undertones of Freedom 250 can’t be ignored. It’s basically an ode to Trump. Dana White, UFC president, is good friends with The Donald. The US president held UFC events at his Atlantic City casinos decades ago. White never forgot that.
Like so many other sycophants, White overlooks all the bat shit crazy stuff Trump has done in his time in office. Dear leader does no wrong, and the UFC does its best to promote him to the max.
What does it say about our culture that we’ve stooped to this level? Our leaders were once expected to be dignified. Instead, they sit among a bloodthirsty crowd and cheer on violence while our military fights a war.
It seems like the perfect distraction from the distraction. The Epstein scandal was covered up by Iran, which is briefly taking a back seat to the UFC. Keep the crowds entertained, and they won’t look where they should. The fighters amount to dancing monkeys.
One fighter, UFC middleweight world champion Sean Strickland, has been banned from the event, according to him. Strickland criticized US support for Israel, denouncing Netanyahu and his regime. He also voiced his strong feelings about the Epstein cover-up. Soon after, he says he got the call from UFC brass saying he wasn’t approved by the White House.
Strickland is Mr. USA. A vocal supporter of the United States, he seemed to lean right before his recent comments. Strickland and his fans would consider him a patriot. The Trump administration sees him as a problem.
I used to watch every big UFC event, but since White began touting his relationship to the president, I’ve turned away from the league. It’s tough not to separate the product from the regime anymore. Seeing Trump walk into arenas and be lauded is too much to take.
Fighter Bryce Mitchell, an all-American-type Midwesterner, said he felt politics and sports shouldn’t mix, and that the event was inappropriate. While he understands why the UFC would jump at the opportunity for such exposure, he thinks the administration is corrupt and shouldn’t be entertaining billionaires on the lawn of the People’s House.
An armed forces memo leaked, stating that service members attending the event needed to meet weight requirements to ensure their body proportions were broadcast-friendly. Soldiers who risked their lives will have to prove their waists are small enough for a seat.
Meanwhile, the elites, many of whom are part of the Epstein class, will no doubt be in attendance, filling the choicest seats. True fight fans will be shut out.
VIP partner tickets are selling for $1.5 million. That’s not a typo. The high rollers invited to buy can get floor seats, access to the press conference and weigh-ins, tickets to UFC 339 to see Conor McGregor’s comeback, and several other perks. Nothing that would justify the price tag.
But the billionaires will fork over the dough to get in with the fight boss and to be close to Trump. The optics of having them in the front row while the rest of the country can’t afford groceries will be a lot to stomach.
Rome outgrew gladiator games. We’re smack in the middle of our fascination with them. When the leader of the free world is on board with your bloodsport, you’ve got a big part of the country captivated. What if performing for the king becomes a regular thing? What if people are expected to pay tribute? Can that be far behind?
It’s surprising to me that more of the combatants didn’t take a stand against the event. The main card fighters, one of whom is from Spain, visited the White House and were respectful of Trump. Despite all the negative that he’s done, the fighters were just happy for the chance.
It’s said that Trump himself requested that heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis be added to the card, and he was. The power puncher is one of the president’s favorite fighters, and the all-time knockout leader was happy to get the call.
It’s tough to blame any fighter for jumping at the opportunity. This is how they make their living. They fight when a fight is offered. To have an audience with a head of state like this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a martial artist. It would be hard to say no.
I, like many others, can’t stand Trump. But would I be able to boycott the event if I were in the UFC?
As a low-level fighter, I don’t see how you could. They’d be shooting themselves in the foot, likely ruining their chances to fight again. But high-profile fighters could use turning down a fight at Freedom 250 as a sign of protest against the regime’s actions.
Only a handful of fighters came out and said they would have turned down an invitation to fight because of political disagreements. Strickland was one of those fighters. The others were lesser-known athletes who were taking a risk by voicing their opinions.
There is a lot to protest about the Trump administration. It hardly seems right for it to be having a party in its front yard while so much in this country is out of whack. The economy, ICE, war, and a massive pedophile ring are just a few of the things the president could be dealing with aside from watching people bleed on each other. I like a good fight just as much as the next guy, but I don’t want to see my representatives salivating among the hungry mob.
My book, Internal Jiu Jitsu: Conquering Mind and Body Resistance By Giving Way, available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books.org, or even better, from your local bookstore!
Sign up for my monthly newsletter!
Visit my website, InternalJiuJitsu.com, for exclusive content.
No posts
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.