Triple H and Roman Reigns attend UFC Freedom 250 at the White House

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SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA: Roman Reigns enters the ring during Monday Night RAW at Golden 1 Center on April 13, 2026 in Sacramento, California. | (Photo: Rich Freeda/WWE via Getty Images) Ryback defended Roman Reigns after the WWE World Heavyweight Champion faced backlash for attending UFC Freedom 250. “Going to an event doesn’t suddenly define someone’s character or mean we know everything they believe,” Ryback wrote on X early Wednesday. He said it shouldn’t have surprised anyone that Reigns would attend the show since WWE and the UFC are owned by TKO. Roman Reigns has always been one of the most respectful, professional people I’ve known in this business. He’s a family man and someone who’s done a lot of good for a lot of people. WWE and UFC are under the same company. If one of the biggest stars in WWE is invited to a major… pic.twitter.com/15YCZ90UsW — RYBACK (@Ryback) June 17, 2026 UFC Freedom 250, held Sunday on the South Lawn of the White House, drew widespread scrutiny. Billed as a celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, critics saw it as a promotional vehicle for the UFC and a party for the president. A federal suit filed ahead of the event called it “a celebration of the UFC’s brand and the 80th anniversary of Donald Trump’s birth.” The suit argued that the Trump administration didn’t seek proper authorization to stage the seven-fight card. It also cited Trump’s ties to UFC CEO Dana White and the president’s reported stake in TKO. Reigns, who expressed support for Trump in a 2025 Vanity Fair piece, came under fire online from fans and celebrities after the event. “Is this where you are when you’re never wrestling?” questioned actor Paul Walter Hauser on X. After taking another shot at Reigns’ part-time wrestling schedule, he added, “Enjoy the field trip, you actual dork.” Ryback vouched for his former colleague, calling Reigns “one of the most respectful, professional people I’ve known in this business. He’s a family man and someone who’s done a lot of good for a lot of people.” That assessment is shared by others who have witnessed Reigns’ acts of kindness outside the ring. In December, Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, Florida, shared photos on Instagram of Reigns meeting with patients and their families, as well as staff while raising funds for the foundation. A nearby Italian market, Mimi’s Ravioli, described Reigns as a “true life hero” for his work with the hospital. “It’s two days before Christmas and all the money in the world and this guy is picking up pizza to deliver to the sick kids at the hospital on his own time,” read the store’s Instagram post. “They don’t make them like this guy.” After defending Reigns, Ryback called for people to focus on self-improvement instead of pointing fingers at others and the decisions they make. “Happiness is a choice,” Ryback wrote. “The more we focus on becoming better ourselves instead of criticizing every decision someone else makes, the better our own lives become.” Despite online criticism, Reigns received a positive reception Monday during Raw in Baltimore, as fans cheered him and his Bloodline for several minutes before letting him speak.

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UFC and Donald Trump succeeded in doing most of what they set out to do with UFC Freedom 250, their bread and circuses event on the White House lawn to celebrate President Trump’s birthday — with a wink toward the the 250th anniversary of the founding of the country he leads, fleeces, trolls, and harasses. The weather held off after a brief delay, the Washington, D.C. gnats and mosquitos were kept at bay, and most of the fights delivered despite a lack of superstar names on the marquee. To make up for the lack of a Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey, or Jon Jones on the UFC Freedom 250 card, the event and its organizers and promoters sought to bring in numerous celebrities. Some of those were slated for a “Fan Fest” near the White House in the days leading up to the fights on Sun., June 14, and that’s were UFC and WWE parent company TKO was sending its pro wrestling stars like Charlotte Flair, The Miz, Trick Williams, Chelsea Green, The Usos, Tiffany Stratton, and Bron Breakker. Whether due to security restrictions or lack of interest, not much surfaced from those events on social media over the weekend. But we heard rumors of other WWE stars being interested in attending, and one may have been WWE World Heavyweight champion Roman Reigns. Both OTC1 and his bosses promoted his attendance at UFC Freedom 250… Reigns said last year that he’s a supporter of President Trump, although some have argued his remarks were open to interpretation. We know he’s unlikely to get in trouble with WWE for his attendance or backing of the narcissist-in-chief. Both his bosses were there. Reigns was shown on the big screen (which were available for the vetted few who watched at the Octagon set-up on the White House Lawn, but also set-up in the nearby park for the masses of predominantly white male fight fans to watch on while they chanted “U-S-A”) along with Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque. The Game also serves on Trump’s re-formed President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition. We also know that Shane McMahon’s son Declan was there. He streamed this, which shows WWE president Nick Khan was on-hand at the executive residence. While his dad doesn’t have an official role with WWE or TKO these days, it also looks like Shane O’Mac was in the (White) house. Declan McMahon (Shane’s son) posted from the White House, at the UFC show. Nick Khan is also there. Can’t figure out if the guy facing Nick is Shane but kinda looks like him. pic.twitter.com/9ObtRnqBq6 — Danny (@dajosc11) June 15, 2026 What a time to be alive. Share your thoughts on UFC Freedom 250 or the involvement of WWE and its representatives, in the comments below.

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Paul and Roman: just two BFFs kicking it at the White House, watchin’ fights and stuff. | (Photo: UFC, Paramount+) Roman Reigns raised eyebrows earlier this year when he appeared to take a shot at one of his bosses, Paul “Triple H” Levesque. Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show in January, Reigns criticized the company’s young stars for complaining that established stars get the most TV time. After telling them to “get over,” he subtly placed the blame on Levesque, WWE’s Chief Content Officer. “We haven’t evolved,” Reigns said. “We have great leadership in Nick Khan. God bless him, what a businessman. He’s a genius. But we have to be able to keep up with that creatively.” Fast forward to Sunday and UFC Freedom 250, where Levesque and Reigns appeared together on screen, with Levesque pointing at Reigns, who smiled and flashed his signature one. ACKNOWLEDGE HIM! ☝ Roman Reigns and HHH are here! #UFCWhiteHouse | Stream TNT Sports on HBO Max pic.twitter.com/BLdHz6W0EH — UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) June 15, 2026 Only in wrestling can you shame your boss and get away with it, so long as you’re making the company money. That, or the whole thing was a work and Reigns and Levesque are actually thick as thieves. At the risk of being a skeptic, I’m inclined to believe it’s the latter. Even if their tongues were notarized, it’s one more reason to take what wrestlers say with a grain of salt.