UFC Freedom 250 live results: The White House historic event
One of the biggest events in UFC history, a truly historic event, capped off with two title fights, goes down as UFC Freedom 250 takes place on the South Lawn of The White House in Washington, DC, weather permitting as storms are in the forecast.
The historic event is headlined by a UFC Lightweight Championship Unification bout as UFC Lightweight Champion Ilia Topuria takes on Interim UFC Lightweight Champion Justin Gaethje. Topuria returns from a year-long layoff after winning the title against Charles Oliveira last June. Gaethje defeated Paddy Pimblett in January for the interim title to set up this showdown.
The co-main event sees an Interim UFC Heavyweight Championship on the line as Alex Pereira looks to make history when he takes on Ciryl Gane. Pereira, the former UFC Light Heavyweight and Middleweight Champion, looks to become the first fighter to win titles in three weight classes. Gane is looking to become an interim champion for the second time. The winner is expected to fight Tom Aspinall when Aspinall is cleared to return to action from his eye injury.
The rest of the loaded special seven-fight card sees a bantamweight bout between former champion Sean O’Malley and Aiemann Zahabi; a heavyweight bout pitting Josh Hokit against Derrick Lewis; Mauricio Ruffy battles Michael Chandler in a lightweight fight; middleweights Bo Nickal and Kyle Daukaus square off; and former title challenger Diego Lopes takes on Steve Garcia in the featherweight opener.
MAIN CARD | 8 PM ET | 5 PM PT
> Featherweights- #2 Diego Lopes (27-8, 6-3 UFC) vs. #9 Steve Garcia (19-5, 8-2 UFC)
> Middleweights- Bo Nickal (8-1, 5-1 UFC) vs. Kyle Daukaus (17-4 1 NC, 4-4 1 NC UFC)
> Lightweights- #9 Mauricio Ruffy (13-2, 4-1 UFC) vs. #13 Michael Chandler (23-10, 2-5 UFC)
> Heavyweights- #5 Josh Hokit (9-0, 3-0 UFC) vs. #9 Derrick Lewis (29-13 1 NC, 20-11 UFC)
> Bantamweights- #3 Sean O’Malley (19-3 1 NC, 11-3 1 NC UFC) vs. #6 Aiemann Zahabi (14-2, 8-2 UFC)
> Interim UFC Heavyweight Championship- #2 LHW Alex Pereira (13-3, 10-2 UFC) vs. #1 Ciryl Gane (13-2 1 NC, 10-2 1 NC UFC)
> UFC Lightweight Championship- C Ilia Topuria (17-0, 9-0 UFC) vs. IC Justin Gaethje (27-5, 10-5 UFC)
MMA writer & live coverage specialist, contributor to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter