March 13, 2026, 2:05 p.mMarch 13, 2026, 2:05 p.m
Martial artists who usually compete against each other in cage fights are now supposed to train the FBI. Such training is planned for this weekend for the first time at the FBI Academy in the US state of Virginia, as the UFC, the largest professional league for mixed martial arts (MMA), reported.
UFC boss Dana White.Image: keystone
“Our UFC fighters are some of the toughest men and women in the world and they go to Quantico to train the best FBI agents in mixed martial arts,” UFC boss Dana White said in a statement. He said he was proud to strengthen the FBI’s defense techniques.
Learn techniques and tactics
“This is a great opportunity for our FBI agents to learn from and train with some of the best athletes in the world,” said US Federal Police Chief Kash Patel. The FBI should be better prepared to “protect the American people.”
The seminar is aimed at students of the FBI Academy as well as experienced employees of the agency. The athletes should teach them “certain techniques and tactics” and thus offer “innovative training options”. Current and former fighters should pass on their skills.
Trump is an MMA fan
MMA is a martial art that is particularly popular in the USA and combines various disciplines. During their duels in the cage-like ring, fighters use elements and techniques from boxing, kickboxing and wrestling, among other things. Unlike wrestling, for example, the fights are not staged. On the contrary: it is not uncommon for blood to be shed or for one of the athletes to fall to the ground unconscious.
US President Trump with Elon Musk in an MMA fight.Image: FR110666 AP
US President Donald Trump is considered a fan of the martial arts spectacle and has sat in the audience as a spectator on several occasions. In October he announced that he would host a UFC martial arts spectacle on the White House lawn for his 80th birthday this summer. UFC boss White, in turn, is an ardent supporter of the Republican and also supported him in the election campaign. (sda/dpa)