Ilia Topuria vs Justin Gaethje title fight at UFC Freedom 250: All to know
Fight time, undercard, stats and how to watch as Topuria and Gaethje tussle in front of Donald Trump at the White House. In what is
Fight time, undercard, stats and how to watch as Topuria and Gaethje tussle in front of Donald Trump at the White House. In what is being as the biggest mixed martial arts bout of 2026, Ilia Topuria will face Justin Gaethje in the main event for the undisputed Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight Championship on June 14 in Washington, DC. The blockbuster 155-pound (70kg) fight will headline the UFC Freedom 250 event, taking place outdoors on the lawns of the White House and with the US President Donald Trump expected to be in attendance, along with other celebrities. Topuria, who is unbeaten, vacated his lightweight title in late 2025 due to personal reasons and despite being the challenger now, will start as the favourite against interim belt holder Gaethje of the United States. Here is all to know before the fight Why is there a UFC event at the White House? The UFC event is planned as a part of the Freedom 250 celebrations organised by the Trump White House, running parallel to the congressionally funded, bipartisan America250 series of events celebrating the United Statesâs 250th anniversary, going back to the signing of the US Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The Freedom 250 celebration made news recently when the majority of a slate of musicians withdrew from a planned concert series, many citing concerns about the eventâs political affiliations, as well as confusion with the America250 celebrations and about what they had signed up for. The date of UFC 250 itself is timed to take place on President Trumpâs 80th birthday on June 14. Trump has a long involvement with UFC, going back more than two decades. When and where will UFC Freedom 250 be held? UFC 250 is scheduled to take place on the South Lawn of the White House, situated in the centre of the US capital on Sunday, June 14. The purpose-built pop-up venue, admittance to which will be by invitation only, has an estimated seating capacity of between 4,300 and 5,000 guests. Twelve hundred of those seats will be reserved for active-duty military members, and the rest will be divided among the UFC, TKO Group, and the White House. Tens of thousands of free tickets will be provided to general fans at the nearby 52-acre Ellipse park, according to organisers. The main card is scheduled to begin at 8pm ET on Sunday (00:00 GMT on Monday). The preliminary fight card begins at 4pm ET (20:00 GMT Sunday). The ring walk for Topuria-Gaethje will occur at about 9:30pm ET (01:30 GMT on Monday), and the headline bout will start shortly thereafter. Main Card Lineup Lightweight Title Bout: Ilia Topuria vs Justin Gaethje Ilia Topuria vs Justin Gaethje Interim Heavyweight Title Bout: Alex Pereira vs Ciryl Gane Alex Pereira vs Ciryl Gane Bantamweight Bout: Sean OâMalley vs Aiemann Zahabi Sean OâMalley vs Aiemann Zahabi Heavyweight Bout: Josh Hokit vs Derrick Lewis Josh Hokit vs Derrick Lewis Lightweight Bout: Mauricio Ruffy vs Michael Chandler Mauricio Ruffy vs Michael Chandler Middleweight Bout: Bo Nickal vs Kyle Daukaus Bo Nickal vs Kyle Daukaus Featherweight Bout: Diego Lopes vs Steve Garcia Why did Ilia Topuria vacate the lightweight title?
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