Former President Donald Trump made an unexpected appearance at UFC 316 in Newark, New Jersey. This time, his recent associate Elon Musk was notably absent from his side.
Trump was seated cageside on Saturday night to witness the fights, including the main event featuring Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O`Malley. He was accompanied by UFC President Dana White upon entering the arena at the Prudential Center and was greeted with enthusiastic cheers from the packed crowd.
Seated near boxing legend Mike Tyson, Trump also exchanged greetings with former NFL players Will Compton and Taylor Lewan. Members of his family, including son Eric, daughter Ivanka, and her husband Jared Kushner, were also present, as was US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Having arrived in New Jersey the previous day and staying at his Bedminster golf course, Trump interacted with several fighters. He shared a high-five with Kevin Holland after Holland`s submission victory over Vicente Luque and later offered words of encouragement to Merab Dvalishvili following the conclusion of the main event.
Elon Musk`s Absence and Recent Rift
Musk`s absence was a key point of note, especially given his presence with Trump at the previous UFC event in April. The relationship between the two prominent figures reportedly soured earlier in the week following a public disagreement over Trump`s proposed “Big Beautiful Bill.” According to the article, Trump claimed Musk had “gone crazy” during this dispute.
While Musk had previously been a significant financial supporter of Trump`s campaigns, their dynamic appeared strained before the event. Trump was quoted as saying he was “too busy doing other things” and had “no intention of speaking to him,” referencing past favors he felt he had granted Musk.
Main Event Outcome and Dvalishvili`s Gesture
In the featured fight, Merab Dvalishvili was successful against Sean O`Malley. According to the report, Dvalishvili secured a submission victory, marking his first in the UFC. In celebration, Dvalishvili is described as having immediately vaulted out of the Octagon to shake hands and speak with Trump.
Trump also reportedly shared a moment with Sean O`Malley, who was able to leave the cage under his own power after the loss. Dvalishvili commented after his win that he was continuously improving and had “more tools” to reveal, stating, “Now it’s my time.”
Other notable winners on the main card included Kayla Harrison, Joe Pyfer, Kevin Holland, and Mario Bautista.
