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Published 13:34 15 Jun 2026 GMT
UFC Freedom 250 took place on Sunday night (June 14) at the White House, in commemoration of the USA's 250th birthday and also for Donald Trump's 80th birthday.
As expected, controversy sparked at the event with millions of viewers watching, and one fighter made an outlandish comment that stole headlines.
Josh Hokit emerged victorious against Derrick Lewis in a heavyweight bout, and the 28-year-old took the opportunity to fire shots at none other than Michelle Obama - for some reason.
First, he shot an insult at a potential opponent in Alex Pereira, saying: “Alex Pereira I wanna chama on your mama”.
He then said to conclude the post-fight interview on Sunday: "Michelle Obama is a man. Am I right, America?"
But now, a lip reader has decoded what Trump said to the fighter after his controversial comment.
At the star-studded event, which had the likes of Mark Zuckerberg and Tyson Fury in attendance, it was an exchange between Trump and Hokit that made headlines.
Moments after Hokit's win by technical KO, Hokit was interviewed by UFC commentator and podcaster Joe Rogan, who prepared for some controversial comments.
Rogan was shocked and swiftly moved on, saying: “Ladies and gentlemen, Josh Hokit.”
It isn't known why Hokit hit out at the former First Lady, though he is known for his unique personality.
After this, a lip reader noticed Trump speaking to Hokit after the UFC event, which was held at the White House for the first time, decoding what was said.
Speaking to the Daily Star, Jeremy Freeman revealed what was allegedly said between the pair.
The President, who after having a chain put around his neck by the fighter, allegedly said: “Too kind, thank you. You are the champion.”
The event was part of the Trump administration’s celebrations of the USA’s 250th birthday, with the sports event on the White House's lawn producing several shocking sights.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio compared the event to the groundbreaking moon landings in 1969. No, seriously.
Speaking at the event, he said: “When President Kennedy announced that we were going to put a man on the moon and return him safely to the earth, no one thought that was possible, and we did it,
“We are a nation founded on doing what no one else dared to do, and no one else aspired to do. And at some level, that’s what this whole company, what UFC has been.”
Some experts have claimed that the UFC fights may be symbolic of what MAGA and Trump stand for.
Sociology professor at SUNY Brockport, Kyle Green, told the Financial Times: “The UFC is probably the most visible Maga-coded thing there is right now.
"On the superficial level, it is about beating the other person up, about saying you are stronger, and saying you are tougher.”
Published 11:41 15 Jun 2026 GMT
Controversy was sparked at UFC Freedom 250, an event commemorating the 250th birthday of the United States, with a series of fights at the White House.
While the spectacle attracted millions of viewers, it was a comment made by fast-rising heavyweight fighter, Josh Hokit, that has received the most attention from both fans and critics.
Moments after he took down Derrick Lewis, the UFC fighter called former first lady Michelle Obama “a man”, in a post-fight interview.
After winning against Lewis following a technical knockout, Hokit was interviewed by podcaster Joe Rogan.
As those familiar with his personality braced themselves for controversial quotes, the first thing he said in the interview was calling out the new heavyweight contender, Alex Pereira.
Either insulting or mocking his competition, he said: “Alex Pereira I wanna chama on your mama”.
Closing the interview on Sunday, Hokit, completely out of pocket, said: "Michelle Obama is a man. Am I right America?"
While his reason for hitting out at the former president Barack Obama’s wife is unknown, Hokit is known for his unique personality and lack of traditional media training.
The interview comes just a day after a video of Hokit’s weigh-in for the Freedom 250 went viral as he appeared to be extremely drunk and vomited on himself between sentences.
Despite the disgusting display, the rising UFC star seemed unfazed by his unprofessional appearance and said to the crowd: “So what, maybe I was drinking last night. Who wouldn't be. I have a giant black man that wants to knock me out."
Nicknamed "The Incredible Hoke”, the MMA star built his career on the 49ers' practice squad in the NFL as a fullback after playing football at Fresno State.
The weekend’s event, UFC Freedom 250, was held on the White House lawn as part of the many celebrations commemorating America’s 250th anniversary and Donald Trump’s 80th birthday.
A towering structure nicknamed “The Claw” was erected on the White House lawn and stood taller than the presidential residency itself.
The lawn was opened up to 4,500 fans with space allocated for 100,000 more people to watch the action for free on screens just outside the grounds.
The event kicked off with President Donald Trump emerging from the Oval Office first, then fighters from around the globe following him into the fight cage.
Published 17:26 21 Jan 2025 GMT
A lip reader has revealed what they believe Barack Obama actually said to George Bush during Trump's inauguration.
Trump was officially sworn in as the 47th President of the United States yesterday (January 20).
As is customary, several of the former Presidents who are still with us attended the ceremony, which always creates intrigue.
Despite standing for different parties, Obama and Bush were seen having a good catch-up at the event, and we can now know what they were saying to each other.
Jackie G, a deaf woman and self-proclaimed lip reader who shares insights on Instagram under the handle @tismejackieg, analyzed footage from the event and revealed her interpretation of a conversation between Obama and Bush.
According to Jackie G, Obama began by saying, "Good to see you."
He followed up with a nod and a "thank you" before turning to Bush with a smile and allegedly asking: "How can we stop what's happening?"
Jackie G posted a short clip of the exchange, captioning it: "Obama 'just barely' behaving."
The light-hearted nature of Obama’s demeanor extended beyond the ceremony.
After leaving the Capitol Rotunda, Obama was asked by Washington Post reporter Emily Davies if Bush had behaved during Trump’s swearing-in.
Obama replied with a grin: "Just barely."
This response was in reference to a video uploaded earlier by Davies showing a staff member asking Bush: "Are you going to behave?"
Obama interjected at the time, saying: "Nope."
The lip reader’s post sparked a wave of reactions on social media.
One Instagram user commented: "This is amazing. You are amazing."
Another said: "You’re doing the lord's work," while a third added: "Laughing and crying at the same time."
Jackie G was careful to include a disclaimer with her video, clarifying that "lip reading is not a reliable form of communication, all statements are alleged."
Notably absent from the ceremony was former First Lady Michelle Obama, a fact that puzzled many viewers.
Earlier this month, Michelle also skipped former President Jimmy Carter’s state funeral due to a "scheduling conflict."
A source told PEOPLE that Michelle’s absence from Trump’s inauguration reflected her strong feelings about the former president.
"There’s no overstating her feelings about [Trump]," the source explained. "She’s not one to plaster on a pleasant face and pretend for protocol’s sake. Michelle doesn’t do anything because it’s expected or it’s protocol or it’s tradition."
The inauguration was well attended, with some of the richest people in the country being there to welcome the new President.
One of those was Elon Musk, who was accused of performing a fascist salute twice while on stage.
Published 15:30 26 Sep 2025 GMT
A recent video of Donald and Melania Trump engaging in what appeared to be a tense conversation through the windows of Marine One has gone viral.
The footage, captured on the South Lawn of the White House Wednesday night, shows the President gesturing toward his wife while she shakes her head in response.
The clip quickly gained attention, with many comparing it to the infamous moment when Brigitte Macron pushed her husband, Emmanuel Macron, in May.
However, lip-reading experts are weighing in with different interpretations, shedding light on what the Trumps might have actually been discussing.
According to Jeremy Freeman, a leading forensic lip-reader, the exchange between Donald and Melania Trump may not have been as dramatic as it appeared, as he told the Daily Mail.
Freeman, who has served as an expert witness in court cases, believes the couple was actually discussing the "escalator-gate" incident at the United Nations General Assembly, not engaging in a heated argument.
Freeman’s interpretation suggests that Melania said: "You just continued…" to which Trump responded: "It was unbelievable."
In another part of the conversation, Melania reportedly said: "Just say it and leave it," with Trump responding: "How can you do that..."
Before exiting the helicopter, the couple is seen holding hands, which Freeman believes suggests that the interaction ended on a more positive note than many assumed.
Another lip-reader, Nicola Hickling, suggested a slightly different interpretation of the exchange, implying that Trump may have been protective of Melania, per the Mirror.
She claims that Trump said: "I can't forgive them, they tried to hurt you," to which Melania allegedly responded: "We can’t do this, we should stay safe, you're not safe."
Trump is then said to have replied: "They’re done. We must challenge them."
The “escalator-gate” incident occurred earlier that week at the UN, where the Trumps faced a potentially dangerous situation when an escalator they were using abruptly stopped.
Trump later described the incident on Truth Social, saying: "It’s amazing that Melania and I didn’t fall forward onto the sharp edges of these steel steps, face first. It was only that we were each holding the handrail tightly, or it would have been a disaster."
Trump suggested that the incident was part of a “triple sabotage” against him at the UN, citing issues with the teleprompter and audio quality during his speech.
He expressed his belief that these technical failures were intentional, calling for an investigation into the matter and demanding that all security tapes related to the escalator incident be preserved.
Published 11:54 15 Jun 2026 GMT
Former two-time heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has come under fire after a social media post picturing him at the UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House, where he praised Donald Trump.
Fury, who made his boxing comeback in December, having initially announced his retirement from the sport, made a surprise appearance at the event hosted by the Trump administration and UFC head honcho, Dana White, to celebrate Trump’s 80th birthday.
When speaking to reporters present, Fury had confirmed that he was there to make an announcement alongside White, who has recently made a foray into the world of boxing, having launched his promotional company Zuffa Boxing.
Yet, the touted announcement never materialized, leaving fans perplexed. However, it was Fury’s choice of attire and later social media post that angered many of his followers.
Despite appearing in a shirtless designer suit, adorned with a silver, diamond-encrusted crucifix, it was actually his choice of headwear that had people talking.
Emblazoned across his cap was the phrase “Donald Trump for Prime Minister,” accompanied by the flags of the USA and the UK. Posing for a picture with wife, Paris, Fury can be seen pointing towards the cap, as well as using the caption: “@realdonaldtrump for Prime Minister #makebritaingreatagain”.
The boxer also posed for a picture with White, Mark Zuckerberg, and Trump himself.
With Trump’s administration steeped in controversy, Fury’s declaration understandably drew criticism, with some of his followers reacting furiously, and even unfollowing his Instagram page which has 6.9 million followers.
The comment section didn’t make for pretty reading for Fury, nor did his diminishing follower numbers, with many condemning his stance.
One user wrote: “Was a fan until this post…”
Another added: “Can’t be a Trump supporter and a follower of Christ.”
While many took to the comments to voice their dismay, some rushed to the Gypsy King’s defence, with a follower saying: “Omg who knew Tyson had so many lefty followers.”
The boxing icon, who has only lost twice in his decorated career, has made a name off the back of often being controversial, so this latest post may not come as a great surprise to those who have followed his career.
Published 15:41 17 Jul 2021 GMT
Megan Fox has set the record straight after referring to Donald Trump as a "legend" at UFC 264.
The actress, 35, took to her Instagram story on Wednesday (July 14) to elaborate on her comments about the former president after appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live earlier this week to reveal what she and her boyfriend Machine Gun Kelly have been up to.
While on the show guest host Arsenio Hall asked her about attending the UFC 264, which was attended by many other high-profile celebrities including Donald Trump.
She explained that the crowd greeted him as a "legend".
Watch the interview with Fox below:"I was in a row with Bieber and Trump was also in my row. I'd never seen the Secret Service in person before so he had like 30 Secret Service with him. He was a legend. That arena was very supportive of Trump when he came in," she said.
Fox had explained that it was the other fans in the arena who were giving Trump a positive reaction.
She added: "I don't know how I feel about it, because if someone is a target then like, I could be harmed because I'm adjacent to where he is. So I was worried about my own safety, that's all I was caring about. I'd never seen anything like that before. It was crazy."
However, her "legend" comment did not go down well with many, who accused the actress of supporting the controversial former president, and she has now explained exactly what she meant by the remark.
"UHMMM… I DO NOT ALIGN MYSELF WITH ANY POLITICAL PARTY OR INDIVIDUAL POLITICIANS," she wrote. "I NEVER SAID DONALD TRUMP IS A LEGEND. I SAID HE WAS A LEGEND… IN THAT ARENA (KEY PART OF THE SENTENCE)."
Fox continued: "THE ARENA WAS FILLED WITH UFC FIGHT FANS. MANY OF THEM CLEARLY REPUBLICAN BASED OFF THE INSANE CROWD REACTION HE RECEIVED WALK-MOBILE VENUE. THAT WAS AN OBSERVABLE FACT. NOT MY OPINION."
The actress went on to conclude her statement by likening how she has been treated for the comment to a medieval witch hunt.
She wrote: "REALLY LOVING THIS UNEDUCATED, MID-EVIL [sic] PITCH FORK CARRYING, BURN THE WITCH AT THE STAKE MENTALITY THOUGH. THE WORLD NEEDS MORE OF THAT."
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