FBI partners with UFC for training ahead of White House MMA event

The FBI partnered with the Ultimate Fighting Championship to conduct hand-to-hand combat training for about 300 agents in preparation for UFC Freedom 250, an event set to take place on the White House grounds, according to a video released Wednesday.

FBI Director Kash Patel credited the partnership with helping agents learn tactics to safeguard American lives. He shared footage on X, formerly Twitter, showing the training sessions and wrote, “Thanks to the great partnership with @ufc we’ve seen about 300 agents come through and learn amazing tactics.”

The FBI’s Rapid Response team also posted videos of the training, calling it a meeting of the “greatest fighters in the world” and law enforcement. The collaboration appeared to be facilitated by a close relationship between the FBI and UFC President Dana White, according to reports.

UFC lightweight contender Justin Gaethje was also featured in the footage, demonstrating training techniques at the FBI headquarters. Earlier this year, Gaethje assisted in training FBI agents and academy personnel at the bureau’s training facility in Quantico, Virginia. Recent footage shows Gaethje preparing for his lightweight title fight against Ilia Topuria at the upcoming event, using the FBI headquarters as part of his training.

Fighters were expected to use the Eisenhower Executive Office Building as locker rooms before walking toward “The Claw,” an octagonal cage erected on the South Lawn. Additionally, stunt performer Travis Pastrana is planning a surprise stunt to open the main card, potentially involving a backflip over the South Lawn on his dirt bike, according to a White House video shared Tuesday.

Having federal agents train alongside UFC fighters and hosting a UFC event on White House grounds marks a significant shift in tradition, transforming what once seemed like satire into a major sporting event of the weekend, sources said.

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