Jack Osbourne fires back at critics after White House UFC Fight appearance

Jack Osbourne pushed back against criticism over his attendance at a UFC event hosted at the White House, arguing that his appearance was about sport rather than politics.

The television personality addressed the controversy in a video shared on his YouTube channel after receiving criticism from some followers who said they were disappointed by his decision to attend the event.

“I went to a sporting event. That’s it,” Osbourne said. “I didn’t go and throw my hat in the ring for political office.”

He stressed that he was not attending to endorse a politician or support any political cause.

“I literally went to the White House to go see UFC,” he added.

Osbourne Says Combat Sports Have Been Part of His Life for Decades

The 40-year-old explained that his connection to combat sports dates back to childhood.

According to Osbourne, he began practising taekwondo at the age of six, later studied Muay Thai in Thailand during his late teens and early twenties, and took up jiu-jitsu in his thirties.

He also noted that he has attended UFC and PRIDE events since the early 2000s.

Because of that long-standing interest, Osbourne said accepting an invitation from UFC president Dana White was an easy decision.

“When I got invited, of course I would go,” he said, arguing that most fans of the sport would have accepted the opportunity.

Rejects Claims Event Was Political

Osbourne described the criticism he received online as excessive, saying some of the reactions left him bewildered.

He maintained that he viewed the gathering primarily as a sporting event rather than a political occasion.

“It was a fight at the White House,” he said. “Who gives a s—?”

Osbourne also suggested he would welcome more sporting events being held at the presidential residence, noting that past administrations have hosted various public events on White House grounds.

Defends Late Father Ozzy Osbourne's Legacy

The strongest response came after some critics claimed his late father, rock icon Ozzy Osbourne, would have disapproved of his attendance.

Osbourne dismissed those assertions, arguing that people making such claims did not know his father personally.

“You did not know my father,” he said. “You did not know where he stood with things.”

He acknowledged that Ozzy's famous song “War Pigs” carried an anti-war message but said that did not mean his father opposed combat sports or attending events at the White House.

“He was anti-war,” Osbourne said.

To support his point, he referenced occasions when his father attended events connected to the White House, including a White House Correspondents’ Dinner during the George W. Bush administration.

He also highlighted Ozzy Osbourne’s participation in USO tours and visits to wounded military personnel receiving treatment at Walter Reed Medical Center.

'Deal With It'

Closing his remarks, Osbourne urged critics to stop invoking his father’s name in the debate.

“To bring my father into this to say he would or wouldn’t approve is completely insane,” he said.

Osbourne reiterated that he attended because of his passion for combat sports and said the event reflected an interest he has maintained for most of his life.

“I simply attended a sporting event for a sport that I have a great amount of respect for,” he said.

He ended with a final message to detractors: “Deal with it, and I’m sorry you weren’t invited.”