When Crypto.com announced last month it would fund a $1 million bonus pool for fighters at UFC Freedom 250, Dana White claimed it was “the biggest bonus in UFC history.”
However, the announcement has quietly raised a question ahead of the June 14 White House event: if a fighter earns that bonus under disputed circumstances, who exactly do they appeal to?
The answer, it turns out, potentially could be complicated.
As The Dallas Express initially reported in late 2025, UFC Freedom 250 will be held on the White House South Lawn, which is federal property. The District of Columbia Combat Sports Commission has no jurisdiction.
D.C. Commission Chairman Andrew Huff expressed his frustrations in March, saying that his office wasn’t consulted or involved, per The Washington Post. “We don’t know anything,” he said at the time. “Every promoter in the District of Columbia should be and is held to the same standard.”
The UFC’s solution was to bring in the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) as a regulatory advisor.
The ABC’s President Timothy Shipman confirmed the deal in a March 19 press release, adding that since “the event is being held on federal property, there is no requirement for the UFC to select a state athletic commission to oversee the event.”
The ABC is a voluntary trade organization; they can’t discipline fighters, suspend anyone’s license, or stop a fight.
The Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts were created for a reason: independent regulators – not the promoters – are supposed to enforce them. Every state athletic commission in the country follows these rules, which the ABC officially adopted back in 2009.
The Fight Card
The fight card, which DX covered in March as underwhelming compared to Dana White’s claims that it was the “best ever,” has actually improved. A seventh bout was added Saturday after Josh Hokit upset Curtis Blaydes at UFC 327. Hokit will now face Derrick Lewis in the octagon on the South Lawn, making this a heavyweight matchup with significant ranking implications.
The full White House 250 card stands with seven fights as of press time:
- Lightweight title unification: Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje
- Interim heavyweight title: Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane
- Bantamweight: Sean O’Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi
- Lightweight: Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler
- Middleweight: Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus
- Featherweight: Diego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia
- Heavyweight: Josh Hokit vs. Derrick Lewis
However, the absence of Jon Jones and Conor McGregor, along with fewer championship bouts than expected, could be seen as a letdown for many MMA fans who anticipated one of the most stacked cards in the company’s history.
Looking Ahead
