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The UFC is an exception to the norm in the world of MMA. Mixed martial arts was once regarded as a niche sport, and in many ways it still is. However, with stars like Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey garnering the attention of mainstream media, the premier MMA organization in the world gained greater recognition.
No longer is it a combat sports promotion flying under the radar. Now, it is a company that president Dana White himself asserts might be worth more than its $4 billion selling price.
Because of this, the promotion has attracted the attention of notable celebrities including the likes of Madonna, Leonardo DiCaprio, and even former US President Donald Trump.
While the very top of the celebrity world typically only turns out for cards headlined by Conor McGregor, others have made their presence known at events headlined by Nate Diaz or Jorge Masvidal.
This list compiles the 5 biggest celebrity names sighted at UFC events over the years.
#5 Hugh Jackman
Longtime actor Hugh Jackman is best known to the youngest generation of cinephiles for his live-action portrayal of Wolverine in the character's solo movies and the associated X-Men films.
What many may not know, however, is that the Australian veteran of the silver screen is also a fan of Conor McGregor. Some might remember spotting him at UFC 205 when the Irishman made history by capturing the lightweight title from former champion Eddie Alvarez.
Jackman was not alone, however. He was sighted in the company of pop music legend Madonna.
While he's not been spotted in an MMA audience as frequently since McGregor's decline from the upper echelon of the sport, another rising star might emerge to recapture the imagination of casual spectators and draw celebrity attention back.
#4 Justin Bieber
YouTuber-turned-pop sensation Justin Bieber is no stranger to combat sports. At one point, he was close to Floyd Mayweather Jr. and even accompanied the boxing great to the ring during the latter's walkouts.
Thus, it is no surprise that Bieber has been seen in attendance at MMA events. He was most famously sighted at UFC 263.
While the main card was headlined by Israel Adesanya and Marvin Vettori, the Canadian singer was seen springing to his feet — as did most spectators — when Nate Diaz, after being thoroughly dominated by Leon Edwards for the better part of five rounds, rocked 'Rocky' with a right jab-left straight combination.
Alas, Diaz was unable to capitalize on that moment, ultimately losing the bout via unanimous decision.
#3 Madonna
Few artists are as iconic or as controversial as Madonna has been throughout her career. Like Prince and Michael Jackson did prior to their untimely deaths, Madonna is a musical and fashion icon with generational staying power.
How she has maintained her cultural revelance across generations is anyone's guess, but the pop legend has a varied range of interests.
Among those interests is MMA, or at least it was during the height of McGregor's popularity. She was seated in the front row when 'The Notorious' challenged Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 for the lightweight title in his successful bid at becoming the promotion's first simultaneous two-divisional champion.
Like many celebrities who turn up for McGregor's pay-per-view events, Madonna has not been spotted since.
#2 Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the greatest actors of the last two decades of cinema. He starred in a range of Oscar-winning movies before finally claiming his first-ever Academy Award in 2015 for his role in 'The Revenant'.
As one of the many celebrities who developed an interest in the UFC during the rise of 'The Notorious' Conor McGregor, DiCaprio has attended several events.
He was in attendance when Nate Diaz shocked the world by submitting McGregor with a rear-naked choke in his comeback win at UFC 196. DiCaprio was also in attendance when the Irishman faced his most heated rival, the undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229.
In fact, 'The Eagle' almost landed on top of DiCaprio himself when he leapt out of the cage to attack Dillon Danis and the rest of his foe's team. The incident eventually led to the now retired Dagestani taking a picture with the famous actor.
#1 Donald Trump
Before he was the President of the United States, Donald Trump was a media personality who hosted 'The Apprentice' and even made several appearances in WWE, including at WrestleMania 23.
He is also known to have struck up a friendship with Dana White due to him having played a fundamental part in the MMA promotion's journey into what it has become today.
White credited Trump with helping save the UFC during its struggle for survival in the early and mid 2000s as the then Trump Taj Mahal was one of the few venues in which the promotion was allowed to host events.
Thus, almost two decades later when the UFC achieved mainstream sports appeal, Donald Trump attended UFC 244, which was headlined by Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz, as well as UFC 264, which was headlined by the trilogy bout between Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor.
