Trump heads to New York City for UFC fight

President-elect Trump is set to visit New York City on Saturday for the UFC heavyweight championship at Madison Square Garden.

The event will be Trump's first visit back to the arena since his highly publicized and controversial October rally.

The event, which featured speakers including Melania Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, sparked controversy after comedian Tony Hinchcliffe declared Puerto Rico an “island of garbage.”

Many lawmakers and pundits predicted the gaffe would cost Trump the Puerto Rican vote and potentially hurt him in the polls. Trump's campaign insisted Hinchliffe's comments did not reflect the former president's views, and Trump himself referred to the rally as "an absolute love fest."

Trump is set to return to the newsworthy site for the first time since winning the election for a face-off between Stipe Miocic and Jim Jones for the heavyweight championship title at UFC 309. 

Trump spent much of his time on the campaign trail with the organization’s CEO Dana White, who spoke alongside the former president during his official acceptance speech.

“Nobody deserves this more than him, and nobody deserves this more than his family does. This is what happens when the machine comes after you,” White said at the Trump Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.