USA10 June, 20262 min read
Marco Rubio And Dana White Sign MOU With UFC To Boost U.S. Sports Diplomacy
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Signing establishes public-private partnership to boost sports diplomacy and global MMA growth. UFC framed as American-founded, a vehicle for global cultural diplomacy.
Rubio and UFC MOU
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and UFC CEO Dana White signed a memorandum of understanding on Thursday to cement a public-private partnership between the mixed martial arts company and the U.S. government.
The agreement, signed at the U.S. Department of State, is aimed at enhancing sports diplomacy and promoting the global growth of mixed martial arts, with the UFC partnering with the State Department’s “sports diplomacy” programs at the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
The State Department said the UFC’s events are broadcast worldwide and “contribute to the United States’ broader cultural and sports influence through professional competition and athlete development,” as Rubio praised the organization’s American character.
The signing ceremony came just days before Sunday’s “UFC 250” fight on the South Lawn of the White House, which also marked President Trump’s 80th birthday and the kickoff of the United States’ 250th anniversary celebrations.
“United Nations of fighting”
In remarks at the State Department on Thursday, Rubio compared UFC’s rise to the moon landing, saying, “When President Kennedy announced that we would land a man on the moon and safely return him to Earth, no one thought it possible, and we did it,” before inking the agreement. Rubio also described UFC as “the ‘UN of fights,’ saying that fights teach Americans about cultures and societies around the world,” and he called the upcoming White House bout “historic.”
CNN reported that Rubio likened the UFC’s creation to putting the first man on the moon and said the convening power of mixed martial arts could unite people of different social and geographic backgrounds. Two Virginia residents filed a lawsuit seeking to halt the bout, arguing that using the White House grounds “to stage a private, for-profit sports event, with all the promotional and branding opportunities that accompany such access” will financially benefit White and Trump himself.
Mentors, clinics, and lawsuits
Under the newly signed memorandum, the State Department said the UFC and the department “will recruit current and former athletes, coaches and executives as mentors and cultural ambassadors to conduct overseas clinics, master classes and training sessions.” The State Department spokesperson added that the partnership would “develop joint educational content using MMA to teach English and leadership skills,” while coordinating UFC’s international events to demonstrate American excellence alongside U.S. missions worldwide.
“Their suit cites a spring report stating that Donald Trump bought $50,000 worth of shares in UFC’s parent company.”
The New Republic said the deal mostly sees the UFC partnering with the State Department’s “sports diplomacy” programs at the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and it noted that the program “spent more than $52 million last year.” While the MOU and the “UFC 250” fight were framed as diplomacy, the lawsuit filed by the two Virginia residents cited a report in the spring that Trump bought $50,000 in stock in UFC’s parent company, and CNN said Rubio joked about a potential “diplomatic crisis” over demand from foreign leaders to attend Sunday’s fight.