The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is coming to the White House on Sunday. It’s the first time a professional sporting event has ever been staged at the US presidential residence. About 4,300 people got invites to watch the mixed martial arts fights on the South Lawn. Another 85,000 are expected at a nearby fan zone.
UFC spent about $60 million (£45 million) on the event. That includes $700,000 just to fix the grass afterward – the same lawn that hosts the annual Easter Egg Roll. The main attraction is a 92-foot-tall metal structure called “the Claw.” It looms over the octagon and most of the seats. The thing weighs 600 tonnes.
Trump has called it “the greatest show on Earth” and compared the Claw to the Eiffel Tower.
Fourteen fighters will compete in back-to-back matches. The main event is between Ilia Topuria, a lightweight from Georgia and Spain, and American Justin Gaethje.
At a news conference for the event at the Lincoln Memorial on Friday, things were briefly delayed because of “inclement weather.” Fans were told to find shelter.
UFC Freedom 250: UFC White House Full Fight Card
Main Event – Ilia Topuria vs Justin Gaethje
Ilia Topuria vs Justin Gaethje fight is for the undisputed lightweight title. Topuria is the current champ. Gaethje holds the interim belt. They’re fighting to crown one true 155-pound king.
Topuria is undefeated at 17-0 and has knocked out all-time greats in his last three fights – Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Charles Oliveira. Gaethje is 37, a two-time interim champ and former BMF title holder. He won his interim belt by beating Paddy Pimblett in January. This is likely his last shot at undisputed gold. Both made weight at exactly 155 pounds.
Co-Main Event – Alex Pereira vs Ciryl Gane
Pereira is trying to become the first fighter in UFC history to win titles in three different divisions. He’s already held belts at middleweight and light heavyweight. He weighed in at 251 pounds for his heavyweight debut – about 66 pounds heavier than when he fought at middleweight. Gane was 248 pounds.
Gane is a former interim heavyweight champion known for his elusive kickboxing. The interim title is being fought because champion Tom Aspinall is recovering from an eye injury. That injury happened in his fight with Gane last year after an illegal eye poke. Pereira has knocked out eight opponents in 12 UFC fights.
Bantamweight (135 lbs): Sean O’Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi
O’Malley is a former bantamweight champion and one of the biggest names on the card. He has 12 knockout wins. Zahabi is on a seven-fight winning streak, with back-to-back wins over former champion Jose Aldo and former title challenger Marlon Vera.
Lightweight (155 lbs): Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler
Chandler is a former title challenger on a three-fight losing streak. Those losses came against Dustin Poirier, Charles Oliveira, and Paddy Pimblett. Ruffy is a younger Brazilian knockout artist with 12 career knockouts. He bounced back from a submission loss with a second-round TKO of Rafael Fiziev.
Middleweight (185 lbs): Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus
Nickal is a three-time NCAA Division I wrestling national champion from Penn State. He has just nine MMA fights. He suffered his only career loss about a year ago but bounced back with a head-kick knockout in November. Daukaus is 17-4 and has won his last two fights by finish since returning to the UFC. He’s said he’ll show his “dad strength” fighting in front of President Trump on his 80th birthday.
Featherweight (145 lbs): Diego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia
This is the opening fight of the card. Both guys are finishers. Lopes is ranked No. 3 at featherweight. He’s lost two title fights to Alexander Volkanovski but remains a top contender. Garcia is ranked No. 12 and is on a seven-fight winning streak, with six finishes in that run. He believes a win puts him in the title picture. Lopes has called it a car crash matchup: “In the chaos is where I’m the best guy”.
Heavyweight (265 lbs): Derrick Lewis vs. Josh Hokit
Lewis is a former title challenger who holds the record for most knockouts in UFC history. He’s 29-13 overall. Hokit is an undefeated prospect at 9-0 (3-0 in UFC). He earned this fight by outlasting Curtis Blaydes, a big step up in competition. UFC commentator Laura Sanko has said the odds are too wide, noting that Lewis has “the king of knockouts” power and should never be counted out.
UFC White House Live Streaming Details
UFC White House live streaming will be exclusively on Paramount+ starting at 8:00 PM Eastern Time (6:30 AM Indian Standard Time). The event is held on the White House South Lawn as part of America’s 250th anniversary celebrations. Fighters are competing for the largest fight-night bonuses in UFC history – $400,000 for Fight of the Night and $425,000 for Performance of the Night winners.
FAQs
Q. What makes the UFC White House event historic?
A. It is the first professional sporting event ever held at the White House.
Q. Who is fighting in the UFC White House main event?
A. Ilia Topuria faces Justin Gaethje for the undisputed UFC lightweight championship.
Q. How can fans watch UFC White House live?
A. The full fight card will be streamed exclusively on Paramount+.
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