UFC Freedom 250 Historic White House Event Ends In All-Knockout Bouts

UFC Freedom 250, Sunday, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., marks the promotion's first event at the presidential residence; and notably all seven bouts ended by knockout or TKO, culminating in two major title changes and significant career shifts for several fighters.

In the lightweight title unification bout, Justin Gaethje defeated Ilia Topuria via corner stoppage (TKO) at the end of Round 4, capturing the undisputed UFC lightweight championship.

Gaethje started strong, but Topuria rallied in Round 2, dropping Gaethje with liver shots and pursuing submissions on the ground. Gaethje survived and reversed the momentum in Rounds 3 and 4, battering Topuria’s face and body.

After Round 3, Topuria’s vision was severely compromised by swollen eyes. The ringside doctor suggested stopping the fight, but Topuria pleaded to continue. After Round 4, despite being ahead on the scorecards, Topuria’s corner threw in the towel to protect him from further damage.

This was a massive upset, handing the previously unbeaten Topuria his first career loss and ending his reign as a two-division champion. Gaethje earned a $400,000 Fight of the Night bonus and **$425,000 for Performance of the Night.

In the co-main event, Ciryl Gane defeated former middleweight and light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira via TKO (punches) at 1:27 of Round 2 to become the interim UFC heavyweight champion.

The first round was competitive, but Gane dominated the second with faster, cleaner striking. He hurt Pereira with a jab and swarmed him with punches until referee Herb Dean stepped in.

Gane became only the second man ever to stop Pereira via strikes inside the Octagon, derailing Pereira’s attempt to become the first three-division champion in UFC history. Gane earned $425,000 for Performance of the Night and immediately called for a unification bout with Tom Aspinall in Paris.

The remainder of the card at the White House event, featured decisive finishes and notable storylines:

Sean O’Malley defeated Aiemann Zahabi via TKO (punches) at 4:02 of Round 2. O’Malley broke Zahabi’s seven-fight winning streak with a walk-off knockout, earning his first KO win since 2023 and positioning himself back in the bantamweight title picture. He earned a $25,000 stoppage bonus.

Josh Hokit defeated Derrick Lewis via TKO (punches) at 4:09 of Round 2. The undefeated Hokit (10-0) continued his ascent in the heavyweight division, earning a $25,000 stoppage bonus. Post-fight, Hokit presented President Donald Trump with a trading card and joked that "Michelle Obama, [former Preisdent Barack Obama's wife] is a man."

Mauricio Ruffy defeated Michael Chandler via TKO (spinning wheel kick and punches) at 4:29 of Round 1. This was Chandler’s fourth straight loss, raising questions about his future at age 40. Ruffy earned a $25,000 stoppage bonus.

Bo Nickal defeated Kyle Daukaus via TKO (punches and elbows) at 4:34 of Round 1, securing his second consecutive stoppage win. He earned a $25,000 stoppage bonus.

Diego Lopes defeated Steve Garcia via KO (punches) at 2:42 of Round 2 in the opening bout. Lopes earned a $25,000 stoppage bonus.

The event was hosted on the South Lawn of the White House, with fighters entering the Octagon from the Oval Office.

U.S. President Donald Trump, some of his family members and UFC President Dana White were present. Eric Trump and Daniel Cormier were also noted for their reactions to the event.

Gaethje and Gane each received $425,000 for Performance of the Night. Gaethje and Topuria shared $400,000 for Fight of the Night. All other winners received $25,000 stoppage bonuses.

`The event was described as a "once-in-a-generation celebration of the American fighting spirit," with all fights ending inside the distance, a rarity in modern UFC history.