Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) athletes will train Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents this week at the FBI Special Agent Academy in Quantico, Virginia, the organisations announced.
Current and former UFC fighters will lead a “training seminar” for senior FBI staff and students, offering insights into their competitive preparation and demonstrating specific techniques and tactics.
FBI Director Kash Patel called the initiative “a tremendous opportunity” for agents “to learn and train with some of the greatest athletes on earth,” adding that it will enhance the agency’s readiness to protect the American people.
UFC CEO Dana White said the organisation is “proud to support the FBI in strengthening their defense techniques.” He described the athletes heading to Quantico as “some of the baddest men and women on the planet” and highlighted that their involvement will give agents practical skills in mixed martial arts.
Among the fighters participating are interim UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje, former UFC BMF champion Jorge Masvidal, former middleweight champion Chris Weidman, former strawweight title challenger Claudia Gadelha, former lightweight title challenger Michael Chandler, top flyweight contender Manel Kape, and MMA athlete Renzo Gracie. Matchmaker Mick Maynard will also attend.
The partnership reflects a longstanding relationship between UFC and President Donald Trump, who plans to host a UFC event at the White House in June to mark 250 years since the US Declaration of Independence. White anticipates around 5,000 spectators on the South Lawn and approximately 80,000 fans in a nearby park. Trump has called the planned card the “biggest they’ve ever had.”
The FBI stated that the seminar will help agents strengthen defense capabilities and learn from professional athletes whose training focuses on agility, strategy, and precision.
