The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper (2023- )

CNN Anchor and Senior National Correspondent Sara Sidner returns with an inside look at the decades-long relationship between the UFC and President Donald Trump. As the UFC prepares for a historic fight card on the South Lawn, Sidner examines the sport's unlikely rise from its controversial beginnings to a powerful cultural and political force. In a wide-ranging and candid interview, UFC President Dana White discusses the evolution of his relationship with Trump, the criticism surrounding the perception of UFC as a MAGA-aligned brand, and the unprecedented logistics and cost of staging a fight event at the White House. Sidner also goes inside UFC headquarters and speaks with fighters Michael Chandler and Steve Garcia as they prepare for the landmark event. Along the way, she explores how the UFC's predominantly young male fanbase has become an increasingly powerful political demographic, and how Trump and his allies have embraced the sport and broader "manosphere" culture to connect with younger male voters.

"A sport once banned in 36 states for its no-rules brutality has morphed into the fastest-growing sport in the world over the past 20 years, and its power has seeped into politics," said Sidner. "I wanted to dive into this world to see all its facets, from those inside the UFC machine to its critics. One thing is clear: this isn't just a fight night on the South Lawn. It's much bigger than that."