Thousands of fans gathered at the Lincoln Memorial to catch a glimpse of the UFC fighters ahead of Sunday's fight on the South Lawn of the White House. The event was a chance for fans to see the fighters up close and personal, and for some, it was a chance to meet their favorite fighters.
A UFC news conference at the Lincoln Memorial drew thousands of fans who braved the elements to catch a glimpse of the fighters ahead of Sunday's fight on the South Lawn of the White House.
The event was a chance for fans to see the fighters up close and personal, and for some, it was a chance to meet their favorite fighters. Tracy Philbeck and his son Levi drove from Charlotte, North Carolina, with a group of friends to support their favorite fighter, American Justin Gaethje, in the upcoming lightweight title bout against Georgian Ilia Topuria. David Halstead journeyed from Albany, in Western Australia, to watch the sport he has loved for a decade.
He attributed the popularity of the UFC to President Trump, who regularly attends the fights, saying he 'put UFC on the map.
' The Public Integrity Project described the event as a 'private, commercial, corrupt use of our most sacred national monuments for private gain,' but for the fans, it was a chance to be a part of something special. Only about 1 in 10 U.S. adults consider themselves mixed martial arts fans, according to Ipsos Sports polling conducted in February and March. MMA fans skew male and nonwhite, and are more likely to identify as Republicans than Democrats.
Ricardo Rodriguez, a 24-year-old MMA fan, said that people often have misconceptions about the sport and its fans.
'One misconception is that everyone who watches UFC is a Trump supporter, but that's not the case,' he said. 'People also expect a knock out every time,' he added. Ellie Louizes, who practices Muay Thai and jujitsu martial arts, drove from Daytona Beach, Florida, with her boyfriend, Jacob Purvis. Female fans of MMA are the minority, but Louizes said she knows a lot of women who get into watching the sport through their male partners.
She also noted that 'female fighters are often way more aggressive' than the men. At a UFC-sponsored community event this week at the District of Columbia's Midtown Youth Academy, the boxing gym's executive director, Gloria Lee, was helping out with a visit from UFC fighter Randy Brown, who sparred with more than a dozen local teenagers and preteens.
Lee said meeting the fighter was a big deal for kids at her gym, and that it was 'just been a thrilling week, and I was about to fall out when he came in the door!
' she said. Asked about her personal UFC fandom, Lee said she had not watched it much, but by the end of Brown's visit, she got into the ring with the professional fighter and threw some punches of her own. The UFC's popularity has been a topic of discussion in recent years, with some critics arguing that it is a 'private, commercial, corrupt use of our most sacred national monuments for private gain.
' However, for the fans, the event was a chance to be a part of something special and to see the fighters up close and personal
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