Former UFC executive to join Donald Trump's presidential campaign

The year in combat sports has continued to venture into unexpected waters as news came today, courtesy of Brian Flood at TheWrap.com, regarding former UFC communications director Steven Cheung. Apparently the onetime Zuffa office man is joining the presidential campaign to elect presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump. As per the source, his job appears to be largely to filter news items to ensure that the candidate is properly informed of the fast-moving pace of current events that relate to the campaign.

"Cheung’s focus will be on keeping the campaign up to date on breaking news and pushing back on "false or unbalanced reporting," according to a statement issued by the campaign.

Cheung has worked in communications on several campaigns, including the 2008 McCain-Palin presidential campaign, but his most recent gig was with the UFC."

Cheung has had an odd history in politics, having participated in various campaigns but has yet to be part of one a winning one. Cheung began his political career as a speech writing intern at the White House from June of 2004 to May of 2005 after graduating from California State University, Sacramento. He then became an administrative assistant for the McCain/Palin presidential campaign in 2008. After that he also was named Director of Rapid Response for the failed senate run for Republican candidate Sharron Angle, who lost in humiliating fashion to longstanding senator Harry Reid after having been in a tremendous lead in the polls prior to the election.

Cheung later worked as a Director of Rapid Response in an attempt to elect then-lieutenant governor David Dewhurst to the United States senate, a seat that was eventually won by Ted Cruz. He remained working for the lieutenant governor's office from September 2012 to April of 2013, where he was then hired by the Ultimate Fighting Championship until now. After the loss of his former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, the Trump campaign is still working on making various changes and hires to fine-tune things in the lead up to this November's election.

As a reminder, the Republican convention takes place in Cleveland next week from the 18th to the 21st. No word on whether or not Trump's offer to Dana White is still good.