UFC fans gathered in Newark, N.J., for the highly anticipated matchup between Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley.
But the two fighters weren’t the only special guests in the arena — President Donald Trump was also in attendance. Though there was no official announcement, fans were clearly anticipating Trump’s arrival.
Fox News Digital spoke to fans before the event about Trump’s performance during the first six months of his second term. Some were eager to praise the president, while others were skeptical or outright disappointed.
CEO of the UFC Dana White and the President of the United States Donald Trump before a bantamweight title fight during UFC 316 at Prudential Center. (Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images via Reuters)
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How is President Donald Trump doing so far in his second term?
“He’s doing an amazing job. He’s shocking us all, but he’s doing what everybody knows he’s going to do. Wow,” Erin Kerr said.
“I believe that Trump is somebody to respect. He’s always honest about things and at the end of the day, you know, it might be politics, but you know we should kind of respect what’s going on, you know what I’m saying,” Eric Ventura told Fox News Digital.
Would rather see Saturday’s matchup between Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley or see Trump and Elon Musk in the ring?
“I’d much rather see the UFC than see two bloated billionaires fight each other,” Paul Gordon said.
“Probably Elon would be kind of funny, but I gotta go with what’s happening tonight, it’s gonna be better,” Chris Wright said.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Dana White, CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship, attend the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 316 event, a bout between Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley, at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. (REUTERS/Nathan Howard)
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Who would be more fit to take a punch to the face, Trump or Musk?
“Trump — he’s got that big a– chin,” Wright told Fox News Digital.
“He took a bullet, right? I think if you just take a bullet, maybe you can take a punch,” Gustavo Granados said.
“If Elon, if Trump were to fight, I think Trump would get it done,” Jimmy Malloy said.
Several fans also chose Musk, noting the billionaire was several years younger than the president, which they thought would give him an advantage.
U.S. President Donald Trump is seen in attendance during the UFC 316 event at Prudential Center on June 7, 2025, in Newark, New Jersey. (Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC)
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In the end, Trump received a warm welcome from the roaring crowd as he entered the Prudential Center with UFC CEO Dana White, a longtime ally of the president who spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention.