The FBI can be getting slightly help from the UFC this week.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the mixed martial arts promotion UFC said Thursday that UFC fighters will travel to the FBI Special Agent Academy in Quantico, Virginia this weekend to coach FBI agents-in-training in addition to senior FBI staff from world wide.
The federal law enforcement agency and the MMA company say that the athletes and UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard “will provide insight into how they train for competition, in addition to display specific techniques and tactics, offering a novel perspective to the scholars as they prepare to enter the sphere office.”
The UFC, after all, is ready to host an event on the South Lawn of the White House this June. President Trump is a fan of the game and a friend of UFC CEO Dana White. FBI Director Kash Patel can also be known to be a combat sport fan.
Executives at TKO Group Holdings, the UFC’s parent company, have told investors that they expect to lose $30 million on that “once-in-a-lifetime” event, though the advantages of the spectacle will far outweigh the fee, given all the eye it is certain to receive. The corporate has an exclusive U.S. media rights cope with Paramount.
“I actually have tremendous respect for the FBI and the work they do day-after-day to guard this country,” said UFC CEO Dana White. “Our UFC fighters are a number of the baddest men and ladies on the planet they usually are heading to Quantico to coach the very best FBI agents in mixed martial arts. It’s an incredible opportunity for our athletes to experience, and we’re proud to support the FBI in strengthening their defense techniques.”
Among the many UFC stars heading to Quantico are interim UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethe, the primary UFC BMF champion Jorge Masvidal, former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman, former UFC strawweight title challenger Claudia Gadelha, former UFC lightweight title challenger Michael Chandler, top UFC flyweight contender Manel Kape and mixed martial arts legend Renzo Gracie.
“I’m thrilled to announce this historic seminar between the FBI and the UFC at Quantico,” said FBI director Kash Patel. “That is an amazing opportunity for our FBI agents to learn and train with a number of the biggest athletes on earth — helping the world’s premier law enforcement agency be even higher prepared to guard the American people. Dana White has modified the sport within the mixed martial arts industry, and we’re extremely honored to be partnered with him, the professionals and the UFC. We’re grateful for his or her shared love of our nation, in order that we are able to higher defend her.”