On the night of June 15, the US capital became the arena for a unique sporting event that united politics and elite sports. The UFC White House: Freedom 250 tournament took place directly in the vicinity of the White House. The event was attended by Donald Trump and other first-rate stars. The evening's card gave viewers two title fights, a series of sensational knockouts, and a complete change of elite in the lightweight and heavyweight divisions.

Main Event: Gaethge Strips Topuria of the Belt

The central event of the evening was the fight for the lightweight championship title. Dominant champion Ilia Topuria and 37-year-old veteran Justin Gaethge stepped into the ring. The match ended in a grand upset: Topuria suffered his first defeat in his career, and Gaethge became a full-fledged UFC champion for the third time in his life.

The fight took place in a dramatic key. Already in the first round, the American broke his opponent's eye. In the second five-minute round, the Georgian took the initiative, sending Gaethge to the canvas with powerful body shots. The turning point was the third round: Gaethge caught the champion, sent him to a knockdown, and delivered a series of blows, turning Topuria's face into a bloody mess.

The champion's condition after the third round caused concern among doctors due to terrible hematomas. Topuria bravely worked through the fourth round, but his corner did not let him go for the fifth. The fighter's brother threw in the white towel, stopping the fight prematurely.

Heavyweights: Gane Stops Pereira's Dream

The co-main event of the evening took place in the heavyweight division for the interim title. Frenchman Cyril Gane met Brazilian Alex Pereira. For Pereira, this fight was a chance to become the first UFC champion in three weight classes in history, but the dream collapsed.

Gane completely dominated throughout the match. In the second round, the Frenchman staged a brutal finish, after which the referee stopped the fight, recording a technical knockout. Cyril Gane put on the interim heavyweight belt for the second time in his career.

Evening Card: A Series of Knockouts

Aside from the title bouts, the tournament was remembered for a series of bright and short victories in the other fights. Each of the five fights on the preliminary card ended in a knockout:

  • Lightweight: Former champion Sean O'Malley returned to form, spectacularly knocking out Ayman Zaahabi in the second round.
  • Heavyweight: Undefeated prospect Josh Hockett staged a loud sensation, knocking out veteran Derrick Lewis in the second round.
  • Lightweight: Brazilian knockout artist Mauricio Ruffi left Michael Chandler no chance, ending the fight in the first five-minute round.
  • Middleweight: Rising star Bo Nickal continued his winning streak, decimating and knocking out Kyle Dockas at the beginning of the fight.
  • Featherweight: Diego Lopez confirmed his status as a favorite, dealing with Steve Garcia and knocking him out in the second round.

The UFC Freedom 250 tournament went down in history as an event where old champions gave way to new ones, and viewers saw one of the bloodiest and most spectacular cards of the year.