Donald Trump sat ringside at UFC 302 on Saturday, two days after a Manhattan jury found him guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
Trump became the first US president to be criminally convicted on Thursday (30 May), but said he would “continue to fight” the decision. He will have 30 days to do following his sentencing on 11 July.
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In the wake of the verdict, the former president attended UFC 302 in New Jersey, sitting ringside with UFC president Dana White – not for the first time.
Trump, 77, has attended numerous UFC events in recent years, including one as recently as March. The American entered the Prudential Center in Newark to the sound of cheers on Saturday (1 June), shaking hands with comedian Theo Von and fans while walking to his seat.
Guided by White, a known supporter of Trump, the former president then shook hands with UFC commentators Joe Rogan and Jon Anik.
Kevin Holland, after seemingly breaking Michal Oleksiejczuk’s arm to win their fight via submission, exited the cage and rushed to talk to Trump. The pair previously spoke at UFC 287 in April 2023, after Holland knocked out Santiago Ponzinibbio.
Then, after the co-main event, former middleweight champion Sean Strickland posed for a photo with Trump, having outpointed Paulo Costa. “President Trump, you’re the man. It’s a damn travesty what they’re doing to you,” Strickland said afterwards, during his in-ring interview. “I’ll be donating to you.”
On Thursday, a jury found Trump guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records as part of an election conspiracy that involved covering up a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels, whose story of an affair threatened to derail his 2016 presidential campaign.
