Trump makes strange comment to MMA fighter moments after win

President Trump was caught making a truly bizarre comment to a Brazilian MMA fighter who won his bout at UFC 327 on Saturday night, remarking on how 'good looking' he was for someone who gets beaten up for a living.

The Commander-in-Chief attended the Miami event, April 11, as a long-time follower of professional martial arts and one-time, while negotiations between Vice President Vance and Iranian leaders began to fall apart in Pakistan.

Dragging Secretary of State Rubio with him to the Miami UFC event, Trump walked out to Kid Rock’s ‘American Badass’ ahead of the main card of the night, taking a front seat for the light heavyweight title fight between Jiří Procházka and Carlos Ulberg.

While the president's fascination with fight night event dates all the way back to the days of André the Giant, he was given something of a stranger's welcome on Saturday night, with some amongst the usually supportive crowd of martial arts fans booing Trump as he walked out with UFC boss Dana White.

This was just one of a number of awkward moments during the UFC event in Miami's Kaseya Center, which also saw President Trump pull in Joe Rogan for a quiet word after the podcast host had spent a great deal of airtime slamming his war with Iran.

But the most notable moment was when many people's cringe-o-meters went off the scale, with Trump making absolutely bizarre comments to Paulo Costa after he won his bout with Russian Azamat Murzakanov by TKO.

The 34-year-old Brazilian fighter jumped up to celebrate his win with the President of the United States, who had taken to his feet after Costa's victory. He walked over to the 79-year-old and said: “Thank you for everything you’re doing.”

Trump at a UFC event last night told fighter Paulo Costa he’s too good-looking to fight.

“You’re a beautiful guy. You could be a model, you look so good.”

This was what Trump was doing as negotiations with Iran imploded. pic.twitter.com/7dVakKL90e

— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) April 12, 2026

In response, Trump bizarrely heaped praise on Costa's apparent good looks, rather than the fact that he had just won his first-ever light heavyweight bout at the major UFC event.

“You're a beautiful guy. You could be a model, you look so good," the President of the United States said.

He added: “You’re too good looking to be a fighter. You are some fighter. Thank you, man.”

When Costa was later asked about the ringside chat with Trump, he clarified that the comments were 'so funny', and added: "I just kind of jokingly talked to him.

“Then I just said some things that were personal, so let’s just keep it a secret for now. It was just between us.”

If the president needs another chance to admire the fine forms of the MMA fighters competing in the UFC he does not have long to wait, or far to go.

Thats because the fight night is heading to Trump's backyard to celebrate America's 250th birthday, June 14, with the UFC Freedom 250 event on the White House's South Lawn.