UFC x Meta collab, Khamzat Chimaev opens up on 2018 arrest, Joe Rogan criticizes Donald Trump: MMA News Roundup
Dana White announced a major business partnership between the UFC and Mark Zuckerberg's Meta. Elsewhere, Joe Rogan surprisingly criticized Donald Trump and his administration for recent deportations.
Here are today's top combat sports updates, presented by Sportskeeda MMA.
Dana White announces UFC's collaboration with Meta
In a special announcement on Wednesday, Dana White announced that Mark Zuckerberg's Meta has signed on as the UFC's "first-ever official fan technology partner. Moreover, the tech giant will also help with the promotion's new ranking system that White has been teasing for a while:
"We've already started to work with Meta to create a new fighter ranking system that will debut later this year. Thank God. We'll also be using Meta's AI-powered glasses to capture UFC content, and we're going to do things with Meta that will blow UFC fans away. The next few years will be an absolute game-changer for fans of this sport. Stay tuned, everybody."
Fans weighed in on social media and were divided in their opinions. Some were excited, while others didn't like Meta's association.
One X user said:
"Please make it possible for fans to *attend* UFC events via VR."
Another wrote:
"Super cool that the UFC is going to my 83-year-old mom's favorite social media platform... very innovative."
Read more comments here.
Khamzat Chimaev opens up on airport arrest in Ireland
Khamzat Chimaev recently spoke on his 2018 attempt at traveling to Ireland with a plan to confront Conor McGregor. Ahead of the UFC 229 title fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov, the Irishman went all out with his trash-talking and seemingly insulted a few compatriots of Chimaev.
Determined to avenge his teammates and countrymen, 'Borz' flew to Ireland to spar with McGregor. But he wasn't allowed into the country.
Chimaev recently shared with Azamat Chef [via Red Corner MMA]
"I just saw one of our guys, my compatriot... He [McGregor] dropped him in sparring and posted a picture. My friends told me to spar with him, and I flew over there, but I didn't find him."
Chimaev continued:
"They didn’t let me in. They arrested me at the airport and sent me back home. They must have mistaken me for someone else. Later, they sent me a letter saying that I could come back any time."
Joe Rogan calls out the Donald Trump administration
Joe Rogan advocated for Donald Trump on the eve of the 2024 elections and has largely been supportive of the new administration's policies. However, he is seemingly not in favor of the recent deportations. He openly criticized the president over the removal of professional makeup artist and hair stylist Andry Hose Hernandez Romero, who is also a gay man.
In episode #2297 of The Joe Rogan Experience, Rogan said that it was "horrific" that people who weren't proven guilty as criminals were getting "lassoed up and deported."
"This is kind of crazy that that could be possible, and that’s bad for the cause. The cause is let’s get the gang members out - everybody agrees - but let’s not let innocent gay hairdressers get lumped up with the gangs."
Rogan further added that this could alienate the general public:
"If you want compassionate people to be on board with you, you can’t deport gay hairdressers seeking asylum - that’s fucking crazy - and then throw them in an El Salvador prison."
Romero sought asylum on U.S. soil after facing persecution in his home country, Venezuela, because of his sexual orientation and political ideologies. However, U.S. immigration officers suspected that the crown tattoos on his wrists were proof that he was a member of the Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua. Romero was flown from Texas to a prison in El Salvador last month.