By Scott B, Editor
If UFC legend Conor McGregor fights at the White House this summer, it would be more than a branding coup for Donald Trump.
It also could trigger a multimillion-dollar windfall for the President’s family, thanks in part to a New Year’s Eve investment by Donald Trump Jr.
Don Jr. is an investor in MMA.inc, a small, publicly traded company that does business with the UFC and counts McGregor as a global ambassador and prominent shareholder. The Australia-based firm’s portfolio includes the Warrior Training Program at UFC Gyms, BJJLink software for UFC jiu-jitsu studios, and Hype, a mobile-marketing tool for UFC fighters.
If McGregor fights at the White House, it could drive up MMA.inc’s stock price. There is plenty of room to grow: the stock closed on January 6, 2026, at $1.17 per share—down 77% since March 2024, when the company, then called Alta Global Group, went public at $5.00.
Don Jr.’s strategic investment
The timing of a McGregor bout couldn’t be more strategic for Don Jr., who is part of a group that invested $3-million in the company on December 31—and agreed to buy as much as $20-million more in shares over time.
Trump’s eldest son already held options to acquire up to 1.5 million shares of MMA.inc at a penny each under a September 9, 2025, deal that named him a “strategic advisor.” The announcement touched off a one-day frenzy that doubled the company’s stock price on trading of 194 million shares—more than 500 times the stock’s daily average.
The President himself could benefit, too. He and his three sons reportedly own a 40% stake in World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency firm that has its own deal with MMA.inc. Under that contract, fight fans can earn World Liberty crypto when they use the MMA.inc platform to buy UFC tickets, obtain training, stream videos, predict fight outcomes, create content, post comments, or compete in fitness challenges. And despite owning only 40% of World Liberty’s stock, the Trumps receive up to 75% of the “net protocol revenues” from some of its business lines.
McGregor, Trump family could earn millions from fight
McGregor’s media outlet The Mac Life crystallized the shared interests in an Instagram announcement about Don Jr.’s new investment. “The Trump/McGregor connection is growing stronger through business dealings, after the Trump family promised a $23 million investment in McGregor’s business, MMA.inc,” the January 4 post said. “McGregor has also made his intent to fight on the historic White House card in June clear, with a return to the Octagon coinciding with the sport’s biggest event ever.”
Laura Sanko also stands to gain. The popular UFC commentator is a member of MMA.inc’s board of directors, serves as a brand ambassador, and owns a 1% stake in the company.
Conflicting public statements
Will the mercurial McGregor, who hasn’t fought since breaking his leg in a 2021 bout against Dustin Poirier, actually enter the cage on the South Lawn? Several hurdles remain: the fighter must be healthy, meet weight, pass drug tests, and be serious about reentering competition.
Perhaps UFC broadcast partner Paramount Skydance—whose 2025 merger was approved just weeks after subsidiary CBS settled a Trump defamation suit for $16-million—would be willing to kick in some cash to meet McGregor’s $100-million demand. A fight involving one of the most popular mixed martial artists of all time might fuel new subscriptions to Paramount’s streaming service, which will begin airing live UFC cards later this month.
Public statements about the fight have been contradictory, however. McGregor told Sean Hannity in a late September 2025 interview that “it’s a done deal, signed and delivered. [I] will compete at the White House.” A week later, UFC President and CEO Dana White contradicted him. Negotiations “won’t even start until February,” he said at UFC 320. “I made it clear that Conor wants to fight on that card, and you can clearly see Conor is very fired up to fight on that card, but nothing is done yet.”
Investment could save MMA.inc from bankruptcy
The other big question is this: will MMA.inc last long enough for the Trump family to cash in on a McGregor fight? Maybe, maybe not. The company spent roughly $18.2-million—the equivalent of 26-million Australian dollars—in the year ended June 30, 2025, but earned just $1-million, leaving it with only $1.4-million in cash and more debt than assets.
Objective reviews reflect this uncertainty. In an October 31 filing, the company’s auditor expressed “substantial doubt” about MMA.inc’s ability to stay in business. Financial metrics are equally grim. The company’s Altman Z-Score—a formula used to predict corporate insolvency—suggests bankruptcy is extremely likely in the next two years.
That’s why Don Jr.’s cash infusion is so critical: it might keep MMA.inc alive long enough to profit from a McGregor fight at the White House.
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