How MMA Fighters Magnify QAnon for MAGAWorld
Even though President Trump hadn’t explicitly said anything about child traffickers—or trafficking of any kind, really—the fighter was sure that’s what the story was really meant to convey. For years, at the gym where he trained, he heard horror stories about the exploitation of children. The fighters, many of whom were MMA competitors like him, whispered about QAnon, the cabal of Satanic, blood-consuming pedophiles who had infiltrated Hollywood, Silicon Valley and the highest reaches of the Democratic party and the federal government. That gym, 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu, was founded by Eddie Bravo, who has coached UFC world champions and remains an admired figure within mixed-martial arts. Bravo, too, has spoken approvingly about QAnon, most famously as a guest on Joe Rogan’s wildly popular podcast.
Hearing the president’s ominous comments, the fighter redoubled his efforts, delving into subreddits and obscure forums, and tracking the enigmatic clues left by a mysterious figure known as “Q” who claimed to have high-ranking military clearance and promised Donald Trump would vanquish the forces of evil once and for all.
“So, that’s where I was like, ‘Oh crap, this is what they were talking about and being brought slowly out to the public,’” the 10-year pro told POLITICO.
QAnon, which has been designated as a domestic terror threat by the FBI, has emerged during the past year as a central feature of the 2020 election cycle. At its apex, it boasted membership in the millions, with thousands of specific groups and pages, according to NBC News. The Guardian pegged the total at 4.5 million followers on Facebook and Instagram alone as of mid-August. (On October 6, Facebook took steps towards removing QAnon groups entirely from the site, as have other social media companies.) Self-identified adherents have run successful campaigns for Congress and garnered support from both the president, who has retweeted posts by QAnon figures repeatedly, and the Trump campaign. During an August 19 press conference, Trump said, “I don’t know much about the movement other than I understand that they like me very much, which I appreciate.” (QAnon acolytes, the most devoted of whom have increasingly committed acts of violence in the name of the cause, were thrilled.)
Of all the professional sports, the fighters and promoters of UFC have been the most vocally supportive of President Trump, and he has returned their ardor. But the fighters who stalk the octagon have also proven to be highly susceptible to the web of QAnon beliefs. While a handful of professionals in other sports have voiced similar anti-vaccine sentiments, fretted about child trafficking or embraced fringe QAnon-backing politicians, fighters have found a receptive audience among a young white male fan base that aligns neatly with both QAnon believers and a core group of Trump backers. This has created a mutually reinforcing loop of support between fans and fighters, the extended MAGA universe, and the White House. More than any other pro sport, MMA, and specifically UFC, has become an official and unofficial part of the president’s re-election campaign, an effort that has intensified as November 3 approaches. And when it comes to the current state of GOP politics, contact with QAnon is inevitable.
Within hours of the March 22 press conference, the fighter had shared his thoughts connecting Trump press conference to QAnon with his over 80,000 followers across his social media accounts. (The fighter, who lives in Las Vegas and has been a top-ranked fighter in an MMA promotion, spoke on the condition of anonymity because he feared a backlash by publicly identifying as having been pro-QAnon.) The fighter posted the majority of the QAnon material on Instagram stories, which have a 24-hour lifespan and are no longer viewable. Those social media posts were a big hit among his MMA colleagues, the fighter claimed, adding that his cohorts bugged him for more information regarding the conspiracies.
Other sports leagues with more robust public relations offices might crack down on players who sully their brand by spewing thoughts untethered to reality. But UFC is run by Dana White, a long-time Trump supporter who has spoken on behalf of Trump at both of his nominating conventions. Far from stifling his front-facing talent, White has given them a green light. Last month, Colby Covington, the current number one-ranked UFC welterweight, used a recent post-fight moment on national television to ask a Nigerian-born UFC fighter who was interviewing him if he’d sent “smoke signals” to his “little tribe,” comments widely perceived as racist. That evening, Covington, who routinely wears a “Make America Great Again” hat, received a congratulatory call from the president.
“Who’s more about free speech than we are?” White bellowed to the assembled press. “We literally let our people do or say whatever it is they do. It’s normal.”
One of the most popular UFC fighters is Jorge Masvidal, a 35-year-old star UFC welterweight from South Florida, whose parents are Cuban and Peruvian. Earlier this year, on his 674,000-follower Twitter account, he posted a screenshot of a fake Kurt Cobain quote, which purported to predict President Trump’s ascendancy, and labeled it with the hashtag #qanon.
Masvidal has also fretted about pedophilia, though his concerns seem to fall along partisan lines. Last week, a photo was made public showing Trump clutching his then-pre-teen children while next to Jeffrey Epstein. Though minors were inches away from a serial child molester, there was no need for concern, Masvidal tweeted. However, he was all too willing to spread unfounded allegations about Hunter Biden. Specifically, that child pornography would be uncovered on his laptop—a recent QAnon and Trumpworld obsession. (Masvidal did not respond to a request for comment.)
Like many QAnon believers, Masvidal also dabbled in coronavirus truthering. In late July, as Covid-19 cases were peaking in Florida, Masvidal cast doubt on the number of deaths reported by the media. “That’s a lie. The death rates are dropping,” in Florida, he said on an ESPN podcast. (At the time, the state’s daily death rate was rising.) Despite having used the QAnon hashtag on his Cobain tweet, Masvidal denied any affiliation with the conspiracy—he just had a few questions. “I was provoking thought there. Like, ‘Hey, this is some crazy stuff. What’s going on here? Check this out,’” he said. “I’m not telling nobody to believe that word for word.”
Instead, Masvidal asked listeners harboring doubts to conduct their own investigations.
“All I’m telling everybody, anybody listening to me, do your own research, man,” he pleaded. “Do your own homework. That’s it. That’s all I’m saying.”
Travis View, a conspiracy theory researcher and host of the QAnon Anonymous podcast, told POLITICO that spurring new recruits to explore on their own is key to QAnon’s appeal. Instead of a top-down dogma, “What they relish is the feeling of insight, and the notion they’ve lifted the veil behind the veneer of society we live in,” he said.
It can be an addictive pursuit, View explained, like trying to win a game that never ends.
On October 11, Donald Trump Jr., himself no stranger to the conspiratorial online right, hosted four rallies in Florida, hoping to energize Latino men under the age of 40, a group whose support for the president remains strong. The mini-tour was called “Fighters Against Socialism.” (The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for comment.) Who was riding alongside Don. Jr. on the bus as it made its way around the state? Jorge Masvidal.
A little over a year ago, President Trump attended the World Series in Washington, D.C. He was met with a chorus of boos. Seeking a friendlier crowd, the president trekked to a UFC match held at Madison Square Garden. The response was mixed at best, but the logic behind the attempted PR coup was sound. White, the UFC president, has been a frequent presence on the campaign trail. He, along with a passel of UFC stars, attended a September rally in Nevada, one held indoors, and before a crowd not overly diligent about wearing masks. Two weeks later, Trump tested positive for Covid-19.
“Under those beautiful suits, there are a lot of muscles. A lot of power,” said Trump, praising the UFC attendees. “A lot of genius for fighting, and for other things.” Covington, who was at the Nevada rally, also showed up in person to witness the first Trump-Biden debate.
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