BY OSABUOHIEN VIVIAN-ROSE
Ahead of the UFC’s planned event on the White House lawn in June, several fighters are scheduled to visit the FBI.
UFC fighters will lead a training session at the FBI Special Agent Academy in Quantico, Va., this weekend for both senior staff and agents in training.
It’s unclear which combat techniques would be the focus of the training, but the UFC said in a statement that the fighters “will provide insight into how they train for competition, as well as demonstrate specific techniques and tactics, offering a unique perspective to the students as they prepare to enter the field office.”
Michael Chandler, Jorge Masvidal and Chris Weidman are some of the longtime UFC fighters who’ll be involved.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for our FBI agents to learn and train with some of the greatest athletes on earth — helping the world’s premier law enforcement agency be even better prepared to protect the American people,” FBI director Kash Patel said in a statement.
UFC president and CEO Dana White is a Trump supporter, and on June 14, White’s MMA powerhouse will hold a first-of-its-kind card on the White House lawn called UFC Freedom 250. The event is to honour the country’s 250th anniversary, and it happens to coincide with Trump’s 80th birthday.
A lightweight title bout between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje headlines the event, while a heavyweight contest between Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane also features on the card.
