Has Donald Trump replaced Drake and the cover of Sports Illustrated as the biggest curse in sports?
As several UFC fans noted online, the President’s favorite fighters and others who are vocally supportive of Trump have struggled in the Octagon.
Recently, Bo Nickal was defeated by knockout in the second round by ex-ONE Championship fighter Reinier de Ridder during a UFC Fight Night in Iowa. Nickal had previously been complimented by Donald Trump in a pre-election interview with podcaster and UFC commentator Joe Rogan, with Trump saying, ‘I think he’s terrific.’
Earlier, at UFC 314, staunch Trump supporters Michael Chandler and Bryce Mitchell both failed to win their matches. Mitchell, a fighter from Arkansas, famously declared he’d ‘take a bullet and die’ for Trump. This was his first fight since controversially praising Adolf Hitler and facing no repercussions.
Trump’s backing isn’t limited to MMA. He has also shown his support for Team USA at the NHL’s Four Nations tournament and the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LIX. Unfortunately, both teams faced defeat, though it’s quite a stretch to hold Trump accountable, despite how some critics might feel.
‘Bryce Mitchell, Michael Chandler, and now Bo Nickal,’ wrote sports blogger Karim Zidan on X. ‘Glorious to see Trump’s favs getting slept. Actually making the sport tolerable again.’
President Donald Trump attends the UFC 314 event alongside UFC President and CEO Dana White at Kaseya Center on April 12 in Miami
Reinier de Ridder of The Netherlands punches Bo Nickal in their middleweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Wells Fargo Arena on Saturday
Michael Chandler reacts after a TKO loss against Paddy Pimblett of England in a lightweight bout during the UFC 314 event at Kaseya Center on April 12
Zidan was quickly reminded of Colby Covington’s December defeat to Joaquin Buckley. Covington, who shares mutual admiration with Trump, suffered his fourth defeat in his last six bouts due to a cut over his right eye.
‘Damn, I did forget that!’ he added.
‘Could not agree more,’ another responded before mentioning a hypothetical matchup between Tom Aspinall and Trump-supporting UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones. ‘Aspinall icing Jones would be the absolute cherry on top.’
And it’s not only MMA fighters who have suffered humiliating defeats while trying to show their support for Trump.
In 2018 it was MAGA boxer Rod Salka, who wore ‘America First’ trunks for a bout against Mexico’s Francisco Vargas, only to throw in the towel in the sixth round.
Beyond Salka’s pro-Trump message on his waistband, his shorts also had a brick-wall theme, in reference to the President’s since-abandoned border-wall proposal.
Of course, not all pro-Trump fighters are doomed. In fact, Jones won in front of Trump in November, beating Stipe Miocic at Madison Square Garden shortly after the Republican’s electoral victory.
He even celebrated by bowing to the President-elect, who was seated ringside.
Bryce Mitchell, who has praised Adolf Hitler, said he would ‘take a bullet and die’ for Trump
Not all Trump supporters are doomed in the Octagon, as Jon Jones proved at MSG last year
But for a President who associates himself with athletic greats like Wayne Gretzky, Trump hasn’t had too many sporting victories to celebrate.
He doted on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his ‘beautiful wife’ Brittany ahead of Super Bowl LIX, where his prediction for a Kansas City threepeat was spoiled by the Philadelphia Eagles. Then there was the NHL’s Four Nationals tournament, where a groundswell of patriotic fervor gave way to a demoralizing loss to Team Canada following Trump’s pre-game pep talk to the Americans.
‘And just like that tRump (sic) screws over yet another team…..everything he touches dies!’ one fan wrote on X following the Four Nations final.
‘TRUMP PICKS CHIEFS: CHIEFS LOSE. TRUMP PICKS TEAM USA: USA LOSE,’ another posted, spelling out the conspiracy theory.
‘Everything Trump Touches Dies,’ a third chimed in, alongside a GIF of fans waving a Canadian flag.
And long before he ran for President, Trump misfired on the 2004 American League Championship Series as the Boston Red Sox came back from an 0-3 deficit to beat the New York Yankees and his personal friend, late team owner George Steinbrenner.
‘Oh, you have to respect them,’ Trump said of the Red Sox prior to Game 7. ‘I mean they’ve had great fight, great comeback, and now we’ll see if they can take it all the way. But the Yankees are the Yankees and George is a winner.’
The Red Sox would complete the first 0-3 comeback in postseason history later that night.
