UFC Freedom 250 is live from the White House in Washington. In the main event, Ilia Topuria defends the lightweight title against interim champ Justin Gaethje. theScore's Nick Baldwin is providing live results and analysis. Pull down to refresh for updates.
Flyover caps national anthem
WE GOT A FLYOVER AT #UFCWhiteHouse 🛩️
— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) June 15, 2026
[ LIVE ON @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/6pxbREiigi
Trump, White walk to Octagon
With UFC Freedom 250 set to get underway momentarily after the brief rain delay, President Donald Trump and UFC CEO Dana White made their entrance and headed cageside.
President Donald Trump and UFC President Dana White have arrived for UFC Freedom 250! 🇺🇸 #UFCWhiteHouse Stream TNT Sports on HBO Max pic.twitter.com/nB7ektdEzJ
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) June 15, 2026
UFC announces rain delay
UFC Freedom 250 was in a brief rain delay when the broadcast went live at 8 p.m. ET.
With a risk of "high winds and lightning" in the Washington area, potential inclement weather has threatened the event all week. However, UFC commentator Brendan Fitzgerald said on the broadcast that the fights would be starting "very soon."
Prefight notes
Eleven months after President Donald Trump said he wanted to hold a UFC event at the White House, it's finally here. The MMA promotion is celebrating the United States' impending 250th anniversary with a blockbuster card on the South Lawn.
UFC Freedom 250 features two title fights at the top of the card, including Topuria's lightweight unification bout against Gaethje. The undefeated Georgian-Spaniard knocked out Charles Oliveira to win the vacant 155-pound title at UFC 317 last June, but he has been out of action since then due to personal issues. Topuria, a former featherweight champion, holds a 17-0 professional record with 15 finishes.
In Topuria's absence, Gaethje claimed the interim title with a unanimous decision win over Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324 in January. Gaethje, nicknamed "The Highlight" because of his all-action style, is riding a two-fight winning streak and is 4-1 in his last five appearances. Though the 37-year-old is at the tail-end of his career, he's looking to add an undisputed UFC championship to his resume before calling it quits.
In the co-main event of UFC Freedom 250, former middleweight and light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira is moving up to heavyweight for the first time in his career to face Ciryl Gane for the interim title. With a victory, Pereira will become the first fighter in promotion history to win titles in three different weight classes.
Weather forecast is ... not great ⛈️😬
There are severe thunderstorm warnings in the Washington area, which poses a big threat to the event. The National Weather Service is forecasting a 72% chance of rain at 8 p.m. ET and a 62% chance at 9 p.m.
The Weather Channel said earlier today that UFC Freedom 250 "is facing a chaotic weather setup," with a chance of "heavy downpours and wind gusts up to 34 mph."
UFC CEO Dana White has remained adamant that the event will occur as planned. However, the promotion announced that live event coverage will begin at 8 p.m., which suggests the first fight will start a little later than anticipated.
Previewing UFC Freedom 250
- UFC White House storylines: Topuria's days numbered at 155? Pereira the GOAT?
- Ranking all 7 fights on the UFC White House card
- UFC White House predictions: Will Topuria knock out Gaethje?
- UFC is banking on the White House card to be a hit. It needs the boost
Diving into Topuria-Gaethje
Tale of the tape
| Topuria | Gaethje | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Georgia | USA |
| Age | 29 | 37 |
| Height | 5-7 | 5-11 |
| Reach | 69 in | 70 in |
| Record | 17-0 | 27-5 |
Betting odds
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Topuria | -450 |
| Gaethje | +340 |
Here's a look at the full UFC Freedom 250 fight card:
Main card (Paramount+ at 8 p.m. ET)
- Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje
- Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane
- Sean O'Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi
- Josh Hokit vs. Derrick Lewis
- Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler
- Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus
- Diego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia
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