A day after UFC CEO Dana White hosted controversial figures Andrew and Tristan Tate at a Power Slap event in Las Vegas, another high-profile guest at UFC 313 made national headlines—this time, for a different reason.
FBI Director Kash Patel attended the event at T-Mobile Arena, reportedly to explore a partnership where UFC fighters would help train FBI agents in mixed martial arts. Patel, a Las Vegas resident, shared photos on X alongside White, UFC manager Ali Abdelaziz, and former Trump policy adviser Richard Grenell before the fights began.
Since assuming his role last month, Patel has reportedly discussed the UFC partnership in internal calls with FBI field office supervisors. However, the specifics of how UFC fighters would train agents remain unclear.
UFC lightweight contender Justin Gaethje, who secured a win against Rafael Fiziev in the event’s co-main bout, was skeptical about its practical application.
“I’m not sure what I can do,” Gaethje told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “I don’t think these guys have a lot of hand-to-hand combat in their job. If anything, they’d learn about mindset… It will be interesting.”
Mixed Reactions Online
Patel’s presence at the event drew both support and criticism online. Many commenters on his post were enthusiastic about his connection with White, a longtime Trump supporter who spoke at the 2016 and 2020 Republican National Conventions.
“Have a blast at fight night!” wrote X user @smartgrow.
“Stay safe! America needs you!” added @constancehammon.
Others were far less welcoming, particularly regarding White’s recent association with the Tate brothers.
“Please stay away from the Tate brothers and Dana White (their fan boy who’s advocating for them),” wrote @AwesomeAnnie18. “It’s not a good look for the head of the FBI to be associated with rapists/child traffickers.”
The proposed FBI-UFC collaboration is still in its early stages, and how it develops remains to be seen.
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