UFC and FBI announce training partnership at Quantico Academy

(L-top) FBI Director Kash Patel. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) / (L-bottom) UFC president Dana White on June 27, 2025. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images) / (R) President Trump attends the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event on March 9, 2024.

In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, the UFC and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officially announced on Wednesday a partnership to host an exclusive training seminar for special agents.

The two-day event, scheduled for March 14^th and 15^th, 2026, will reportedly bring elite mixed martial arts (MMA) athletes to the FBI Special Agent Academy to share high-level defensive tactics and conditioning insights with both academy students and senior staff.

The initiative is designed to provide agents with “innovative training options” as they prepare for the physical rigors of field assignments. UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard and a hand-picked “all-star” crew of fighters will lead the sessions. 

 Instructor Lineup

 

The seminar features a roster of some of the most recognizable names in combat sports history.

• Justin Gaethje: Current interim UFC Lightweight Champion

• Jorge Masvidal: The first-ever UFC “BMF” Champion

• Chris Weidman: Former UFC Middleweight Champion

• Michael Chandler: Top-ranked Lightweight contender

• Renzo Gracie: MMA legend and world-renowned Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu master

• Claudia Gadelha & Manel Kape: Former title challengers and elite contenders

Defensive Techniques

This module focuses on functional combat agility rather than static drills. Agents are being trained in “Close Quarters Combat” (CQC) by grappling specialists like Chris Weidman and Renzo Gracie. The emphasis is on “clinch work” and “takedown defense,” using the “cage-work” principles of the Octagon to help agents control suspects against walls or in confined spaces.

 

Regarding high-efficiency striking, Michael Chandler and Jorge Masvidal will demonstrate how to use “dirty boxing” and short-range strikes to create space or neutralize a threat when a weapon cannot be immediately deployed.

It will also train agents transitioning from traditional law enforcement “pain compliance” to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) techniques that provide total skeletal control over an opponent.

Mental Preparation

 

The “mindset” portion of the seminar will be led by UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard and veteran fighters to bridge the gap between sports psychology and field survival.

Agents will be trained to maintain fine motor skills while under the extreme “red-zone” heart rates experienced during a championship fight. Justin Gaethje, known for his “calm in the chaos” style, will also provide insight into reading an opponent’s micro-movements to anticipate aggression before it happens.

To learn “elite resilience,” they will be Instructed on the “championship mindset” — recovering from a physical or psychological blow instantly to stay in the fight.

 

Physical Conditioning

The FBI is looking to “revamp” its current fitness standards by adopting the UFC Performance Institute’s (PI) data-driven approach. They will move away from standard distance running and push-ups toward High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) that mimics the 5-minute bursts of an MMA round.

Claudia Gadelha will demonstrate MMA-specific stretching and recovery protocols designed to keep agents physically “operational” for longer careers, reducing the wear and tear of tactical gear.

Regarding combat-specific endurance, agents will learn drills that prioritize “explosive” movements (bursts of speed/power) over steady-state cardio, which is more applicable to short, violent encounters.

“Our UFC fighters are some of the baddest men and women on the planet,” said UFC CEO Dana White. “They are heading to Quantico to train the best FBI agents in mixed martial arts. We’re proud to support the FBI in strengthening their defense techniques.”

The partnership marks a significant cultural shift for the Bureau under Director Kash Patel, who has prioritized a more modern, “fitness-forward” persona for the agency. Patel, a longtime UFC enthusiast, emphasized that the seminar is part of a broader push to ensure agents are “even better prepared to protect the American people.”

“This is a tremendous opportunity for our FBI agents to learn and train with some of the greatest athletes on earth,” Patel said. “Dana White has changed the game in the MMA industry, and we are extremely honored to be partnered with him.”

Meanwhile, the collaboration is the latest sign of the deepening relationship between the UFC and the Trump administration. It serves as a precursor to the highly anticipated “Freedom Fights 250” event, a UFC cage match scheduled to take place on the White House South Lawn on June 14^th to celebrate the nation’s 250^th anniversary.

While some critics have questioned the applicability of sport-fighting to law enforcement lethal-force scenarios, the FBI maintains that the seminar offers a unique perspective for cadets who are about to enter field offices across the globe.