Sunday night on the South Lawn of the White House saw two very distinct types of action: Combat happening inside the cage, and corporate politicking happening outside of it.

Inside the UFC octagon, mixed martial artists jabbed and kicked each other, resulting in spectacular knockouts from the likes of Sean O'Malley and Justin Gaethje.

Just outside the cage, however, President Trump held post, where a stream of tech titans, media moguls and other power-players sought a few minutes of his time (and perhaps to wish him a happy 80th birthday). The Hollywood Reporter was in attendance for the proceedings, a highbrow-lowbrow merger of capitalism, politics and U.S. government assets unlike anything ever seen before.

The event was UFC Freedom 250, a $60 million made-for-TV spectacle sparked by a suggestion from Trump, and executed by his friend, the UFC CEO Dana White. White and Trump sat cage-side, directly next to WME executive chairman and TKO CEO Ari Emanuel, who Trump immediately greeted when he took his seat at the start of the night.

Emanuel and White served as VIP shepherds at times, bringing dignitaries over to talk to Trump when the action was quiet in the octagon, and commercials were rolling for viewers on TV.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was one of those THR spotted huddling with Trump and White. Twenty-four hours after The New York Knicks won the NBA Championship, Knicks owner (and Sphere mogul) Jim Dolan was there too, with Trump seen introducing him to other well-wishes by his seat. Joe Rogan, the uber-popular podcaster and UFC commentator used a commercial break to walk around the cage and chat with Trump.

Meta Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg greets President Donald Trump at UFC Freedom 250 at the White House. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Fashion designer Sarah Staudinger along with TKO's Ari Emanuel and Mark Shapiro at the UFC Freedom 250 event on the South Lawn at the White House. Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Nearby, Paramount CEO David Ellison was seen smiling with a front-row view, where he was joined by Paramount streaming chief Cindy Holland. Ellison had reason to b

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