FBI Director Attends Las Vegas Event to Talk UFC Partnership

Posted on: March 9, 2025, 12:22h. 

Last updated on: March 9, 2025, 01:35h.

Corey Levitan Read More

Expertise: Commercial Gaming, Entertainment, Expert Insight, Las Vegas, Restaurants, Las Vegas Myths.

One night after UFC CEO Dana White hosted accused sexual predators Andrew and Tristan Tate at a Power Slap match at the Fontainbleau, a high-profile guest at his next Las Vegas event also made more national headlines than the event itself. FBI Director Kash Patel was on-hand at UFC 313, reportedly to discuss how UFC fighters could train FBI agents in mixed martial arts.

Patel, who lives in Las Vegas, posted photos of himself with White, UFC manager Ali Abdelaziz, and longtime Donald Trump policy adviser Richard Grenell to X on Saturday, before the UFC event at T-Mobile Arena.

“Only thing better than coming home to Vegas… is fight night #UFC 313,” read the caption.

In one of his first conference calls with FBI field office supervisors after being confirmed for the job last month, Patel reportedly discussed partnering with the UFC to help sharpen the agents’ combat skills.

How exactly UFC fighters would train them remains to be worked out.

“I’m not sure what I can do,” UFC fighter Justin Gaethje, who defeated lightweight contender Rafael Fiziev in the co-main event of Saturday’s card, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “I don’t think these guys have a lot of hand-to-hand combat in their job. I think if they’re going to learn anything, it would be the mindset… It will be interesting.”

Fans React

Most commenters beneath Patel’s photos were happy to see White — who spoke in support of Donald Trump at the Republican National Conventions of 2016 and 2020 — palling around with such high-ranking federal officials…

“Have a blast at fight night!” posted X user @smartgrow.

“Stay safe!” echoed @constancehammon. “America needs you!”

Other commenters were not so happy.

“Please tell me you are there to arrest (Andrew Tate),” posted X user @PacoStephens.

“Please stay away from the Tate brothers and Dana White (their fan boy who’s advocating for them),” added X user @AwesomeAnnie18. “It’s not a good look for the head of the FBI to be associated with rapists/ child traffickers.”