UFC fans tuning into the Julian Erosa vs. JeongYeong Lee prelim on Saturday saw an unexpected overlay next to the cage. A picture-in-picture ad showed President Donald Trump pledging $5,000 checks to American adults if Republicans hold Congress in Tuesday’s midterms, according to Awful Announcing, which first flagged the placement.
The spot is the one Trump has nicknamed the “Trump Dividend.” It was one of three political ads a federal judge ordered off the air a day before the UFC broadcast.
Rochon called the three spots “purely partisan”
U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon of the Southern District of New York issued a 14-day temporary restraining order on Friday, 30 October, covering three spots: “$5,000 to Americans,” “Every Democrat Voted Against No Tax on Tips,” and “Cost of Socialism.” Rochon described them as “purely partisan” and likely in violation of federal appropriations rules barring the use of taxpayer money for publicity or propaganda.
The order required the ads be taken down from government websites and official social accounts, and barred distribution through third parties, including the pro-Trump super PAC MAGA Inc. The White House called the ruling a “lawless order” by a Biden-appointed judge.
Read also: Fabrizio Romano confirms Barcelona decision that will disappoint Manchester United and Chelsea
Paramount+, the exclusive streaming home of UFC Fight Night, aired the “$5,000 to Americans” spot during the Erosa vs. Lee bout anyway. It is not clear whether the ad was placed by the administration, by MAGA Inc., or by a third party outside the court’s direct reach.
Viewers turn on UFC in real time
The response on X was quick. One viewer asked whether the UFC was going to “spam this bullshit Trump 5k ad as a desperate attempt to sway the midterms all night,” calling it “pathetic.” Another called it “totally embarrassing behavior for the UFC to constantly be broadcasting Trump ads.” The reactions were collected by Awful Announcing in its write-up of the Saturday card.
The UFC’s Trump ties run through the White House lawn
The placement landed in a UFC broadcast window that already carries unusual political weight. UFC CEO Dana White is one of Trump’s longest-standing allies in American sport, and the organization staged a cage-side event on the South Lawn of the White House on 14 June, UFC Freedom 250, to mark Trump’s 80th birthday. The event became the most-watched exclusive live stream in Paramount+ history at the time.
Trump watched the Freedom 250 bouts from a cage-side seat between first lady Melania Trump and White. Paramount+ then signed on as UFC’s exclusive broadcaster for the current season.
Read also: Bayern Munich return to scene of Champions League nightmare without Vincent Kompany
Rochon’s temporary restraining order runs for 14 days from 30 October, which keeps the restriction on the three spots in force through the midterm vote on Tuesday, 3 November, and beyond. Neither Paramount+ nor UFC had publicly addressed the Saturday placement by Monday morning.
Read also: Roma achieve remarkable feat just days before facing Manchester United
