Trump, 80, Claims UFC Birthday Fight Was Ratings Hit on Wrong Network

President Donald Trump has displayed confusion over which MAGA-friendly network actually aired his UFC Freedom 250 birthday fight.

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Trump transformed the South Lawn of the White House by adding a purpose-built octagon and UFC cage, with VIP guests, to celebrate his 80th birthday on June 14.

The president referenced his controversial birthday brawl during a rambling monologue at the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, North Dakota, on Wednesday.

During the speech, which went for over one hour, Trump warned that even though the weather is predicted to be “approximately 107 degrees” on July 4 for his next appearance at his failing Great American State Fair, the heat would not stop him from talking.

A heatwave with record-breaking temperatures that could reach 115 degrees is expected to last into the July 4 holiday weekend.

“I’m going to make a really long speech, just to show that I can do anything,” Trump said, before suggesting the weather forecasters could be incorrect.

The president then went off-script to claim he was told that “horrible” rain meant he would have to cancel his UFC birthday fight at the White House on June 14, which ended up taking place, but was delayed by 45 minutes.

“This was a big event. This was one of the highest-rated fights in history,” Trump said.

Referencing his TV experience appearing on NBC’s The Apprentice franchise for 11 years before launching his presidential campaign in 2015, Trump weighed in on weekend viewing habits.

“It was on CBS, national, on a Sunday night, not a Saturday night. Saturday nights are called ‘Death Valley’ for television. I know a lot about ratings, but Sunday night’s very good.”

He repeated, “And it was broadcast on CBS, a network, and it got among the highest ratings any fight has ever gotten.”

However, his UFC fight did not air on the free-to-air network CBS; it was paywalled as a pay-for-view option for subscribers of Paramount +, CBS’ parent company, owned by Trump’s friend, billionaire David Ellison.

Since taking over CBS, Ellison has been accused of pandering to the Trump administration, especially over editorial interference in the flagship show 60 Minutes.

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On June 14, CBS aired a repeat of the drama Tracker at 9 p.m. at the same time Trump’s delayed fight began.

Nielsen streaming figures show 7 million people in the U.S. watched the seven-bout UFC card, with an additional 1.2 million people in Latin America tuned in, based on Adobe Analytics data, according to the Hollywood Reporter..

Paramount+ claimed nearly 15.26 million Americans watched at least one minute of the event.

The Daily Beast has contacted Paramount and the White House for comment.

Fox Nation will air a two-part documentary titled UFC Fight House: The Making of the Biggest Fight in History on Thursday.

“We’re excited to partner with UFC to bring our subscribers an exclusive look behind one of the most ambitious live sporting events ever produced,” Fox Nation president Lauren Petterson said in a statement.

“UFC Fight House showcases the incredible teamwork, innovation and perseverance that transformed an extraordinary idea into a historic event.”

The documentary includes an early Oval Office meeting with Trump while the event was being planned, and includes interviews with the president, his daughter Ivanka and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The Hollywood Reporter states the documentary will not include Hokit calling Michelle Obama a “man” in a post-fight interview with Joe Rogan.

Hokit addressed his statement on The Ariel Helwani Show, where he claimed, “I thought I was giving her a compliment.”

“Michelle Obama being a man,” he continued. “It’s like, she knows how to deal with adversity. She knows how to work hard like a man when the times get tough. You know… the tough keep going.”

The fighter said he did not regret the comment. “That’s one thing about my career… I’m never gonna… You’ll never hear me backtrack from what I say.”