Before he was Commander-in-Chief, Donald Trump was already a fixture in the fight game. In the 1980s and ’90s, his Atlantic City casinos hosted some of the most iconic boxing nights in history. Mike Tyson later called them “nights of beauty,” and legendary announcer Michael Buffer once introduced Trump as “a man whose success in business epitomizes the American dream.”
Now in his second term as U.S. President at age 79, Trump still hasn’t let go of his passion for combat sports. He’s often said boxing is “more thrilling than opera or ballet,” but he’s also acknowledged its darker side. That balance came to light again this week when a clip from his appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience resurfaced online, drawing fresh attention to his take on the dangers of boxing versus mixed martial arts.
In the viral moment, Trump noted: “No UFC fighter, they say, has ever died, and it looks to me much more violent than boxing. Many boxers have died. Isn’t it interesting?”
A Presidential Take on Combat Sports Safety
The remark has once again put a spotlight on the long-running question: which sport is more dangerous, boxing or UFC?
Trump pointed to the punishing,repeated headshots in boxing – the kind that build over 12 rounds and often leave fighters with long-term brain damage. In contrast, he argued, UFC allows fights to end in different ways – grappling, submissions, shorter rounds – which may reduce the cumulative trauma.
Studies have supported that view. The British Medical Journal reported boxers face higher risks of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) compared with MMA fighters, while a 2016 American Journal of Sports Medicine study found that while MMA fighters endure more superficial injuries like cuts and fractures, boxers often suffer more lasting neurological damage.
Still, Trump also admitted that UFC’s early years looked dangerously unregulated.“Nobody died in the UFC, which is shocking,” he later said on Bussin’ With the Boys, recalling how surprised he was by the promotion’s safety record over time.
From Hosting Tyson to Helping UFC Survive
Trump’s perspective isn’t just that of a fan. His ties to fight sports are personal – and historic. Back in 2001, when Dana White and the Fertitta brothers were fighting to keep the UFC alive, Trump stepped in. He opened the doors of his Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City to host UFC 30 and 31, giving the promotion a lifeline at a time when other venues turned them away.
“Trump saw it, he got it, and he stayed for the whole card,” White said in an interview with Forbes. That support helped the UFC stay afloat long enough to evolve into the global powerhouse it is today.
Even now, Trump maintains a close friendship with White and is a regular presence cageside. White has revealed that the president still calls him “twice a month” to talk fights in detail.
Boxing vs. UFC: The Debate Lives On
Trump’s resurfaced comments didn’t end the boxing vs. UFC debate – if anything, they’ve only fueled it. To casual fans, UFC looks more violent with its bloodied faces and ground-and-pound knockouts. But boxing, with its years of documented brain trauma and fatalities, may be the more unforgiving sport in the long run.
For Trump, the conversation is part of a lifetime spent around combat sports – from hosting Tyson’s greatest nights in Atlantic City, to keeping the UFC alive in its lean years, to sparking new debates as president. And as this week’s viral clip proves, the fight over which sport is more dangerous isn’t ending anytime soon.
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