UFC president Dana White was left confused on stage at the Freedom 250 press conference ahead of this weekend’s show at the White House – requesting a translator step in for a fighter who had just addressed the crowd in English.
One of the biggest MMA shows of the year takes place at the home of President Donald Trump on Sunday with the Octagon relocated to the South Lawn of the White House.
The makeshift arena, dubbed ‘The Claw’, will host seven fights marking 250 years of American independence – and Trump’s 80th birthday.
The card will be headlined by the lightweight world title showdown between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje with the interim heavyweight title on the line as Alex Pereira collides with Ciryl Gane.
Also on the main card is the featherweight bout between Diego Lopes and Steve Garcia.
Lopes, from Brazil, came up short in his last bout having challenged Alexander Volkanovski for the 145lbs title in February and is bidding to haul his way back into championship contention.
During a spectacular press conference in the shadow of the Lincoln Memorial in the early hours of Saturday morning, Lopes addressed media in attendance.
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‘I don’t take one step back in this fight. I look for the finish, the knockout, submission, always I look for these. And this will happen on Sunday night,’ he said.
As another reporter began asking a question, White interrupted with: ‘Hey are we translating that or what? Where’s the translator at.’
After being informed Lopes had indeed spoken in English, White, who is deaf in one ear, said: ‘That was English?! Oh s**t. Alright. It was Spanish to me.’
Lopes, born in Manaus having relocated to Mexico in his late teens, has been learning English in recent years specifically with the intention of helping him thrive in the sport.
‘I think in MMA it is so important you speak multi-lingual,’ he told Full Send MMA last year.
‘I am Brazilian but live in Mexico. UFC is global and you need to speak English because it helps you so much for your travel and your interviews, so many things.’