Topuria and Gaethje to Unify Lightweight Titles at White House UFC Event
4 verified5 unconfirmed
The UFC will hold its first professional live sporting event on the White House grounds Sunday, headlined by a lightweight championship unification bout between champion Ilia Topuria and interim titleholder Justin Gaethje. The event, called UFC Freedom 250, takes place on the South Lawn and also features a co-main event for the interim heavyweight title between Ciryl Gane and Alex Pereira. Topuria, 29, and Gaethje, 37, both predicted victory ahead of the fight. The card is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET on Paramount+, according to broadcast details from one source.
What’s verified
The event is UFC Freedom 250, taking place Sunday at the White House in Washington, D.C.
The main event is a lightweight title unification bout between champion Ilia Topuria and interim champion Justin Gaethje.
The co-main event is Ciryl Gane vs. Alex Pereira for the interim heavyweight title.
Topuria is 29 years old; Gaethje is 37 years old.
Not yet confirmed
A single source reported that Topuria shoved Gaethje during a news conference at the Lincoln Memorial, and that Gaethje laughed off the incident.
A single source reported that a federal lawsuit challenging the event was rejected by a judge.
A single source reported that the start of the news conference was delayed by about one hour due to inclement weather, and that thunderstorms are forecast on Sunday.
Specific betting odds for the main event and other bouts are provided by only one source.
One source reports Topuria is a former featherweight champion; the other source does not mention this.
Key figures
Ilia Topuria, Justin Gaethje, Ciryl Gane, Alex Pereira
Sources: BBC News, CBS Sports
