Madison Square Garden is set for another blockbuster UFC card, with Islam Makachev and Jack Della Maddalena headlining in a historic bout. As is usual for the promotion’s annual visits to New York, UFC 322 is a star-studded affair on the fight lineup alone. Come fight night, the celebrity faces in the audience will add to the fanfare. And speaking of fans in attendance, one question comes to the fore- Will Donald Trump be there?

Trump has been a regular VVIP guest at UFC pay-per-view events for many years, and his appearances have only become more frequent over the last few years. His last two appearances were at UFC 314 and 316 earlier this year. Fans had expected him to show up at the highly anticipated UFC 322 at Madison Square Garden, just as he did at the previous three MSG events. However, this time, the situation appears to be different, despite the UFC working closely with the White House for next year’s event.

Is Donald Trump skipping UFC 322 at Madison Square Garden?

The buzz around Donald Trump’s possible appearance at Madison Square Garden was strong, and it even spilled over to the Polymarket betting site, where people can wager on almost anything. Naturally, the platform opened a market titled “Will Trump attend UFC 322?” and early bets pushed the odds to around 72 percent. But things took a turn once UFC CEO Dana White confirmed that Trump would not attend the November 15 event. “President Trump is one of those guys that loves to support sports,” White told FOX Sports Australia, before adding, “No, he won’t be here at this event.”

Over the years, Donald Trump has been a regular presence at major UFC cards, especially the November MSG ones, attending them consistently in 2022, 2023, and 2024. In 2024, he sat cageside for Jon Jones’ supposedly final UFC fight and watched the heavyweight great defend his belt against Stipe Miocic. In 2023, he attended UFC 295, where Alex Pereira claimed the vacant light heavyweight title by stopping Jiri Prochazka with a brutal elbow finish.

Before that, he appeared at UFC 281 for the Israel Adesanya vs Alex Pereira middleweight clash. That’s why Donald Trump’s absence from UFC 322 has surprised many in the MMA world, especially with the UFC–White House card now entering its final logistical stages. The event will take place on June 14, and both sides are already working closely on the lineup.

Now, with Donald Trump skipping this year’s MSG card, UFC 322 loses some of the star power he usually brings. His absence is especially disappointing for UFC middleweight Bo Nickal, who has openly said he wanted to make a statement in front of the president. However, not every fighter shares Bo’s enthusiasm for performing in front of the president and other celebrities, as seen with Brandon Royval.

Brandon Royval refuses to step into the cage for political figures like Donald Trump

Donald Trump may not attend UFC 322 this week, but he will surely be there at the UFC White House event on June 14, 2026. While the card is still far from being finalized, fighters such as Conor McGregor, Jon Jones, and Alex Pereira are already in line for the “one-and-done” event, anticipated to draw global attention and strong viewing numbers. However, not every fighter shares enthusiasm for competing inside the president’s residence. Former UFC title challenger Brandon Royval dismissed the concept during an interview on In The Arena MMA.

“I don’t give a s*** about fighting at The f—ing White House,” Royval said. “I wanna fight in front of big crowds, bro. How big can The White House even be as a stadium? Is that outside too? I don’t give a f–k about any political figures right now. Fighting in front of them feels like some Hunger Games-type s—. I don’t care about a bunch of billionaires and rich people who could care less about me… F— you guys. I wanna fight in front of people who are real MMA fans, who can relate to me.”

What do you think about Donald Trump’s link with the UFC? Could it take attention away from the sport and its real fans like Royval said? And what do you make of Trump skipping UFC 322? Share your thoughts below.