Trump’s son denies he sought insider information on ‘rigged’ UFC Freedom 250 matches

UFC Hall of Fame legend Daniel Cormier and Eric Trump have both shut down reports of a purported direct message exchange alleging potential insider betting regarding Sunday's UFC Freedom 250 matches held on the White House lawn.

The Allegations and The Denial

The controversy ignited Saturday when a viral post appeared on Cormier's X account, featuring an alleged conversation where Trump purportedly questioned the legitimacy of the upcoming fights, specifically mentioning a matchup between Diego Lopes and Steve Garcia. The social media post included a video and claimed, "I’m probably going to get a lot of flak for bringing this to light, however I refuse to stay silent," while also stating, "I will not tolerate this type of insider behavior."

However, the narrative quickly unraveled. Following the event, Cormier addressed the situation, claiming he had been compromised: "I got hacked or something. Who believes something like that? That’s crazy." He further dismissed the legitimacy of the posts, stating, "Not real. I can’t believe you guys believed that."

Eric Trump also took to X to debunk the screenshots, characterizing them as AI-generated fabrications. "We are aware of the fake, AI generated screenshots being circulated online. I have never spoken to Daniel," Trump wrote. He later added, "This did not happen. They were AI generated. Please be careful with reporting."

UFC Freedom 250 Context

The event itself, dubbed UFC Freedom 250, was a high-profile collaboration between President Donald Trump and UFC chief Dana White. The matches served as a celebration of the president’s 80th birthday and a tribute to the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States’ founding.

Spectators packed into a temporary arena constructed on the White House lawn, headlined by a massive structure known as The Claw, which featured integrated sound, lighting, and large screens. Thousands of additional fans viewed the action from the nearby Ellipse.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.