Donald Trump was reportedly paid $2.5 million to make an appearance at a Triller boxing event.
On September 11, 2021, Triller Fight Club continued their attempt at becoming a legitimate competitor in the boxing world. The efforts led to a controversial event in Hollywood, Florida, headlined by 44-year-old Vitor Belfort competing in a boxing match against 58-year-old Evander Holyfield.
The event received media coverage due to the fighters involved, including Anderson Silva and Tito Ortiz in the co-main event. With that said, the attention drawn to the event was doubled when the 45th President of the United States, Trump, agreed to attend and provide commentary for an alternate stream.
At the time, most people believed Trump was paid to attend the Triller event, but the compensation amount was not confirmed. Two years later, The Washington Post reported that the 45th POTUS accepted $2.5 million for his appearance.
Triller: Holyfield vs. Belfort played out exactly how most people thought it would. In the co-main event, Tito Ortiz looked to blitz Anderson Silva and overwhelm him with pressure. Unfortunately for Ortiz, Silva remained calm and caught him on the way in, leading to a highlight-reel knockout in the first round.
In the main event, Vitor Belfort turned back the clock and showcased his devastating power against his elder opponent. Evander Holyfield tried to keep up, but father time didn’t allow him. Holyfield looked awkward and clumsy, which Belfort capitalized and ended the fight in the first round.
Vitor Belfort just destroyed Evander Holyfield
We just witnessed elderly abuse on live TV #HolyfieldBelfort #TrillerFightClub pic.twitter.com/2jxTzUF4iq
— 𝙎𝙡𝙖𝙬𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 (@SlawsomeMMA) September 12, 2021
Triller provides a statement about payment made to Donald Trump
Donald Trump isn’t the only legendary public figure to make an appearance at a Triller event. In November 2021, Triller held the first Triad Combat event and showcased a live performance from Metallica. Once the news broke about Trump’s massive payday for Evander Holyfield vs. Vitor Belfort, Triller released a statement about the situation to The Washington Post:
“The payment made to Trump for his commentary was consistent with the fees typically received by celebrity commentators.”
Triller has been filled with controversy since attempting to take over the combat sports world. In 2021, they received a bad reputation after winning a purse bid for Teofimo Lopez vs. George Kambosos Jr, which never occurred because of financial issues.
Since then, Triller has canceled numerous high-profile events except for a fight featuring Manny Pacquiao vs. DK Yoo. As a result, they have prioritized boxing prospects and Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship over the past few months.
