According to The Independent, which cited persons familiar with the proposal, FBI Director Kash Patel is thinking of enlisting the help of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, a well-known mixed martial arts organization, to help the agents improve their self-defense abilities. Mr. Patel indicated that he wanted the FBI to formally develop a partnership with UFC during a teleconference with the leaders of the agency’s 55 field offices.
Although the FBI has not yet made an official statement regarding the proposal, several active agents have called it “wacky” and “surreal”. Notably, days after winning the election in November, President Donald Trump went to a UFC event in New York, demonstrating his intense fandom of the sport.
Additionally, UFC CEO Dana White enthusiastically supported President Trump’s reelection campaign. Meanwhile, the FBI head seems to have been encouraged to undertake the training by Mr. Patel’s new deputy, Dan Bongino, who is a huge UFC fan himself.
In order to avoid causing stress to the staff, Mr. Patel stated on the call that his travels to field offices with Mr. Bongino would be unexpected. Mr. Patel, a hockey player, also mentioned that he would like to be a part of the bureau’s team.
Since taking over, Mr. Patel has announced numerous changes that have rocked the bureau. He gave the order to move some 1,50 FBU staff members to field officers in Washington. The bureau currently employs 9,414 people in the capital.
Mr. Patel said on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, February 27, that the FBI was “into a
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