FBI awards exclusive UFC contract for agent training, latest sign of deepening Trump administration ties
The FBI has begun awarding the UFC an exclusive contract to train federal agents in mixed martial arts, extending a relationship that has grown substantially closer since Trump took office.
What happened
The FBI conducted a two-day hand-to-hand combat training seminar in March at its academy in Quantico, Virginia, with roughly 300 federal agents and students taught by seven past and current UFC fighters, including former middleweight champion Chris Weidman. Six months later, in September, the FBI filed a Sole Source Justification form to award the UFC an exclusive contract without competitive bidding, claiming the organization was "uniquely qualified" to provide training in striking, grappling, weapon defense, ground control, and conditioning. The contract would be limited to one year, with potential longer-term contracts subject to competitive bidding after "market research." FBI Director Kash Patel praised the partnership in a UFC press release, and appeared in photos at the seminar handing out signed headshots. The exact payment amount has not been disclosed.
Context
The UFC-FBI training program represents a formal expansion of the relationship between the fighting organization and the Trump administration. Over the past decade, the UFC has become one of Trump's most influential political partners through CEO Dana White's personal friendship with the president, the promotion's production of a Trump documentary, and platform-building for Trump's political agenda. The UFC hosted an event on the White House South Lawn in summer 2024 to mark Donald Trump's 80th birthday—described as the first professional sports brand to host an event there. The administration has formalized ties further through a State Department memorandum of understanding on "sports diplomacy" and has integrated UFC into military and defense partnerships, including a sponsorship deal with Anduril, a defense technology company benefiting from Trump administration military reindustrialization efforts. Several UFC fighters who participated in the March seminar have direct Trump administration affiliations: Jorge Masvidal headlined a "Fighters Against Socialism" tour with Donald Trump Jr. before the 2020 election, and Justin Gaethje campaigned for Trump on numerous occasions, including at the 2026 midterm convention in Dallas.