FBI agents in training are set to receive an unconventional lesson in combat tactics this weekend as mixed martial arts stars travel to the bureau’s academy in Quantico, Virginia, for a special training seminar aimed at strengthening defensive skills.
The two-day program marks the first collaboration between the FBI and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), bringing professional fighters into the classroom to demonstrate techniques used in the sport’s high-level competition.
The event will take place at the FBI Special Agent Academy, where academy students and senior FBI personnel from around the world are expected to attend the exclusive seminar.
Current and former UFC athletes, along with UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard, will explain aspects of their training routines and demonstrate combat techniques that could have practical applications in real-world law enforcement situations.
“I’m thrilled to announce this historic seminar between the FBI and the UFC at Quantico,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This is a tremendous opportunity for our FBI agents to learn and train with some of the greatest athletes on earth—helping the world’s premier law enforcement agency be even better prepared to protect the American people.”
UFC CEO Dana White echoed that sentiment, praising the partnership and highlighting the opportunity for fighters to work alongside federal law enforcement.
“I have tremendous respect for the FBI and the work they do every day to protect this country,” White said. “Our UFC fighters are some of the baddest men and women on the planet and they are heading to Quantico to train the best FBI agents in mixed martial arts. It’s an incredible opportunity for our athletes to experience, and we’re proud to support the FBI in strengthening their defense techniques.”
The seminar will feature a roster of high-profile fighters, including interim UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje, former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman, former lightweight title challenger Michael Chandler, and former strawweight title challenger Claudia Gadelha.
Also attending are flyweight contender Manel Kape, MMA legend Renzo Gracie, and former BMF champion Jorge Masvidal.
According to officials, the athletes will demonstrate techniques and share insight into the preparation and mindset elite fighters rely on when facing intense combat situations.
The FBI described the partnership as part of a broader effort to modernize training and provide agents with additional defensive skills before entering assignments in field offices.
Patel initially floated the idea of incorporating mixed martial arts instruction into FBI training during a conference call with field office supervisors in early 2025, as Resist the Mainstream previously reported.
At the time, some agents reportedly described the concept as “surreal” and “wacky,” though the bureau ultimately moved forward with the program, The Independent reported.
The collaboration comes as the UFC continues to expand its cultural and political presence in Washington.
The organization, whose CEO White is a longtime ally of Donald Trump, is also planning a high-profile fight event at the White House later this year as part of the America 250 celebrations.
The planned spectacle is scheduled for June 14.
For the FBI, officials say the Quantico seminar represents another step toward modernizing training methods and equipping agents with additional defensive skills.
By drawing from the experience of elite combat athletes, the bureau hopes to provide agents with practical tools that could prove useful in dangerous real-world encounters.
