In a stunning upset in MMA history, “The Highlight” dethroned Ilia Topuria to win the undisputed UFC Lightweight Championship in the main event of UFC 250 – held Sunday night on the South Lawn of the White House.
The setting alone was unlike anything the sports world has seen.
With the Washington Monument illuminated in the distance and thousands of troops packed onto the iconic lawn, the UFC delivered on its promise of a night no one would forget—all seven fights on the card ended by stoppage. Not one went to the judges, and President Donald Trump and First Lady were ringside for every bout.
The Shocker: Gaethje Dethrones Topuria
Going into the fight, 37-year-old Justin Gaethje was a massive underdog at more than 6-to-1 odds, per BestFightOdds. Ilia Topuria – the undefeated former two-division champion – was expected to cruise through and cement his legacy as one of the sport’s untouchable greats.
Instead, Gaethje turned it into a war. Through four brutal stand-up rounds, he absorbed Topuria’s best shots, including a dangerous body shot to the liver that nearly ended the night early, and kept pressing forward. By the end of the third round, the damage on Topuria’s face told the story.
At the end of round four, Topuria made the agonizing call to stop the fight from his stool, his first loss of his professional career.
Gaethje backflipped onto the canvas with the White House in the background. In-cage analyst Daniel Cormier summed it up perfectly: the setting, the odds, the moment – it was built for a monumental upset, and that’s exactly what it delivered. Gaethje walked away not only with the belt, but also Performance of the Night and Fight of the Night bonuses – a combined $825,000 on top of his purse.
Co-Main Stunner: Gane Stops Pereira
The co-main, although a bit shorter and slower of a fight, had some eyebrow-raising moments as well. Ciryl Gane – fighting for the interim UFC Heavyweight title – stopped Alex Pereira in under two rounds, cutting off “Poatan’s” bid to become the first fighter in UFC history to win championships in three divisions.
UFC Freedom 250 – Full Results
Main Card
- Justin Gaethje def. Ilia Topuria — TKO (corner stoppage), Round 4 (UFC Lightweight Championship)
- Ciryl Gane def. Alex Pereira — TKO (punches), Round 2, 1:27 (Interim UFC Heavyweight Championship)
- Sean O’Malley def. Aiemann Zahabi — TKO (punches), Round 2, 4:02
- Josh Hokit def. Derrick Lewis — TKO (punches), Round 2, 4:09
Prelims
- Mauricio Ruffy def. Michael Chandler — TKO (spinning wheel kick and punches), Round 1, 4:29
- Bo Nickal def. Kyle Daukaus — TKO (punches and elbows), Round 1, 4:34
- Diego Lopes def. Steve Garcia — KO (punches), Round 2, 2:42
The Supporting Cast Showed Out
Sean O’Malley put on a showman’s performance as usual, stopping Aiemann Zahabi with a walk-off KO and saluting the crowd in classic Sugar Sean fashion.
Rising middleweight Bo Nickal continued his climb in the rankings, finishing Kyle Daukaus late in round one to pick up one of the most impressive wins of his young UFC career.
Heavyweight journeyman Josh Hokit pulled off an upset of his own, stopping the once-feared Derrick Lewis. After the fight, Hokit used his in-ring interview to take a jab at former First Lady Michelle Obama, calling her a “man.”
Brazilian lightweight Mauricio Ruffy turned in a highlight-reel finish over a fading Michael Chandler, dropping him with a spinning wheel kick before swarming for the stoppage.
As for UFC middleweight champ Sean Strickland, he wasn’t even fighting on the card, but he still managed to steal some headlines. The outspoken fighter, and recent vocal critic of Trump, reportedly snuck into the nearby Fan Fest, was swarmed by fans right away, and was escorted out by police, with a crowd of supporters following him. According to TMZ, Strickland was not charged or cited for any crimes after officers removed him from the event.
