Dana White, UFC fighters rally around longtime fan Donald Trump after shooting

No sport and its athletes are more intertwined with former President Donald Trump than the UFC, which he helped survive in its turbulent first few years of existence.

On Saturday, that affinity was apparent as UFC figures from across the promotion showed their support for Trump after a shooting at his rally that left him bloody and two people dead, including the shooter.

That included inside the Octagon at UFC Denver, when lightweight Evan Elder used part of his post-fight interview to wish Trump well and show his support for his 2024 presidential campaign:

The UFC features a roster of fighters that is one of the most conservative bodies of athletes in sports, with promotion president Dana White a longtime supporter and friend of Trump. White has celebrated Trump at both the 2016 and 2020 Republican National Conventions, and is scheduled to speak directly before him next week at the 2024 RNC.

White responded to the news of the shooting on Instagram, posting a photo of Trump holding up a fist as Secret Service agents enclose him with the following caption:

“I’m on a plane right now flying to Italy and my phone has been blowing up with text messages from people informing me @realdonaldtrump was shot. I am absolutely SICK to my stomach and in complete shock. I still don’t know how bad it is or if he’s ok. But @mickmaynard2 just sent me this picture and I’m praying President Trump is 100% healthy. This image perfectly reflects EXACTLY the man I know Donald Trump to be. He is the toughest, most resilient, AMERICAN BAD ASS on this planet. I hope the weak coward that shot him gets what he deserves, and I can’t WAIT to stand up on stage with him on Thursday and introduce him at the Republican National Convention and tell the WORLD exactly the character of the friend and man I KNOW!!”

White and Trump’s business relationship goes back to the early 2000s, when Trump allowed the UFC to stage some of its events during an era of intense regulatory scrutiny for the nascent sport. More recently, Trump said he pitched White on a league of only migrant fighters.

Trump has appeared frequently at past UFC events, where he always receives a raucous applause from the attendees. He received a similar reception on social media from UFC athletes on Saturday, some of whom expressed their personal admiration for him and some who simply expressed shock at the events:

There was, however, at least one conspiracy theorist in the group.