The Super Bowl. The Daytona 500. NCAA wrestling championship finals. LIV Golf Tournament. Now UFC. President Donald Trump has made high-profile sporting events part of his legacy during his second administration.
Trump returned to Florida for his 10th visit this term, a weekend sojourn that kicked off with a scheduled speech to Palm Beach County Republicans at Mar-a-Lago on Friday, April 11. When Air Force One touched down at Palm Beach International Airport that night, he was accompanied by SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Musk’s son, Little X.
The county GOP chapter held its annual Lincoln Day gala at the “Winter White House,” the nickname for Trump’s home and private club, Mar-a-Lago. Trump was the named keynote speaker and his DOGE chief Musk was set to receive an award. On Saturday, April 12, the pair were together again: Trump sported a hat that read, “Gulf of America, yet another TRUMP development” when he left Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach with Musk in “the Beast,” his presidential limo that’s part of his motorcade.
If you’re keeping track, this is Trump’s 10th visit to his home state and the ninth to Mar-a-Lago since his term started Jan. 20, 2025, or Inauguration Day.
His visit to the UFC mixed martial arts fight in Miami, Florida, comes a week after his LIV Golf Tournament weekend, which was hosted at Trump National Doral Golf Club in Miami.
What time is the UFC MMA fight in Miami and what other high-profile sporting events had Trump attended during his second term as U.S. president? Keep reading.
Trump to attend UFC fight in Miami, Florida
During Trump’s visit to Florida the weekend of April 11-13, 2025, he is expected to jaunt south to Miami-Dade County to attend UFC Fight 314 at the Kaseya Center in downtown Miami.
Trump is an avid sports fan, having attended the Super Bowl, Daytona 500 and appeared at the Saudi-backed LIV golf tournament held April 3-6, 2025, at Trump National Doral Golf Club in Miami-Dade. Sports, however, are not just a passion, they have proven politically fruitful.
Political analysts have noted that Trump’s engagement in sporting and other events has appealed to wider swaths of voters, too.
“It’s part of the reason why he’s been able to reach a broader audience because he has been showing up at venues you wouldn’t typically expect to see a politician,” said David Wasserman, senior editor and elections analyst, in an interview with the Palm Beach Post in summer 2024. “He’s been to UFC fights, F1 races. He’s been to SneakerCon.”
Who’s fighting in UFC MMA on April 12, 2025, in Miami, Florida?
At long last, Patricio Freire will make his UFC debut. His featherweight fight with Yair Rodriguez scheduled for three rounds will take place Saturday, April 12, 2025, at UFC 314 from Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.
Freire, 37, comes to the UFC after being one of the most decorated fighters in Bellator history, where he was a two-division champion and holds the promotion record for most wins (24). Freire (36-7 MMA, 0-0 UFC) successfully was granted his release from the Professional Fighters League (PFL) after it did away with Bellator as a brand, and now he has a chance to make an immediate impact in the UFC featherweight division.
Rodriguez (19-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC), 32, is a former interim UFC champion who is currently ranked No. 5 in the official rankings at 145 pounds. He’ll enter the bout on a two-fight skid after being finished back-to-back by Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega.
When does the UFC 314 fight card in Miami, Florida, on April 12, 2025, start?
The Saturday, April 12, 2025, UFC 314 lineup consists of 13 fights. Early prelims start at 6 p.m. ET, prelims at 8 p.m. ET, and the pay-per-view main card at 10 p.m. ET.
Yair Rodriguez vs. Patricio Freire walkout time
- Rodriguez and Freire are expected to walk out to the cage at approximately 10:45 p.m. ET.
- The fight will stream on ESPN+ pay-per-view.
Which sporting events did Trump attend via Air Force One when his term started in 2025?
President Donald Trump has made high-profile sporting events part of his legacy during his second administration. As of April 12, 2025, Trump has attended:
- The Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Feb. 16, 2025. Eric and Lara Trump attended with their children, Luke Trump and Carolina Trump.
- The NCAA wrestling championship finals at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on March 22, 2025. Wearing a black SpaceX hoodie, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, leader of the Department of Government Efficiency, and Susie Wiles, White House chief of staff, sat with Trump in the VIP area.
Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Trump, UFC 314 fight in Miami: What time is Rodriguez, Freire match?
