The United States Secretary of State signed a memorandum of understanding with UFC CEO Dana White today (Thurs., June 11, 2026) at the State Department, officially partnering the mixed martial arts promotion with the U.S. government for sports diplomacy initiatives around the world.<\/p>\n
But, the real headline came before the ink even dried.<\/p>\n
\u201cA billion people all over the world will be watching America celebrate its 250th birthday with the White House in the background and some of the best athletes in the world in that octagon,\u201d Rubio said.<\/p>\n
For context, the UFC head honcho recently said the promotion is expecting \u201cSuper Bowl-type numbers<\/a>\u201d for the one-of-one<\/a> event, but Rubio took that prediction and launched it straight into outer space \u2014 literally.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen President Kennedy announced that we were going to put a man on the moon and return them safely to the earth, no one thought that was possible, and we did it,\u201d Rubio said before signing the agreement.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are a nation founded on doing what no one else dared to do, and no one else aspired to do,\u201d he continued. \u201cAnd at some level, that\u2019s what this whole company, what UFC has been.\u201d<\/p>\n Is that a tease that UFC is headed to the moon next?<\/p>\n The agreement between the State Department and UFC is expected to use the promotion as a tool of U.S. diplomacy, sending current and former fighters overseas for clinics, leadership programs, training sessions and other initiatives.<\/p>\n Of course, most fight fans will be focused on what happens inside the cage this weekend, when Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje collide in the historic main event.<\/p>\n