The highly anticipated UFC White House event, officially named UFC Freedom 250, is scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C. today, weather conditions permitting. This historic event is being held outdoors on the South Lawn of the White House, where an octagon has been specially constructed beneath a towering 92-foot steel arch known as the 'Claw,' weighing approximately 600 tonnes and decorated in the colors of the American flag.
Event Overview
Around 4,300 spectators will be seated in temporary stands as the UFC heads to the White House to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence and mark the 80th birthday of President Donald Trump, who will watch from ringside. The event, reportedly costing around $60 million (£44.7 million) to stage, appears set to proceed despite a lawsuit filed by the Public Integrity Project last weekend in District of Columbia federal court seeking an emergency injunction.
Weather Concerns
However, weather conditions could disrupt the proceedings, with rain, thunderstorms, and searing heat forecast for Sunday in the US capital. The current forecast for Sunday evening in Washington, D.C. indicates heavy thunderstorms, with daytime temperatures potentially reaching as high as 36 degrees Celsius.
Fight Card
While not as star-studded as initially hoped, the card features plenty of intriguing fights. The main event is an undefeated Ilia Topuria defending his UFC lightweight title against two-time interim champion Justin Gaethje. Former light-heavyweight and middleweight champion Alex Pereira moves up to heavyweight to battle Ciryl Gane for the interim crown. Ex-bantamweight titlist 'Suga' Sean O'Malley takes on Aiemann Zahabi as he continues his comeback after successive losses to Merab Dvalishvili. Derrick Lewis was added to the card by UFC president Dana White at Trump's request, facing Josh Hokit in another heavyweight showdown. Michael Chandler is the underdog against Brazilian lightweight Mauricio Ruffy, followed by a middleweight bout between Bo Nickal and Kyle Daukaus. The seven-fight card opens with Diego Lopes battling Steve Garcia after his latest unsuccessful featherweight title challenge against Alexander Volkanovski.
Full Fight Card
- Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje - Lightweight title bout
- Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane - Interim heavyweight title bout
- Sean O'Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi - Bantamweight bout
- Josh Hokit vs. Derrick Lewis - Heavyweight bout
- Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler - Lightweight bout
- Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus - Middleweight bout
- Diego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia - Featherweight bout
How to Watch
TV channel and live stream: In the USA, UFC Freedom 250 is being shown live on Paramount+. In the UK, coverage is available on TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max from 1am BST.
Start Time
The event gets underway at 8pm ET on Sunday night, which is 5pm PT and 7pm CT. For British fight fans, it will be 1am BST on Monday morning.
Odds
- Ilia Topuria to win: 1/5
- Justin Gaethje to win: 7/2
- Alex Pereira to win: 9/10
- Ciryl Gane to win: 9/10
Odds via UK betting sites (subject to change). We aim to offer every online gambler and reader a safe and fair platform through unbiased reviews and offers from the UK's best online gambling companies. Gambling can be addictive, always play responsibly and only bet what you can afford to lose. Gambling sites have a number of tools to assist you to stay in control, including deposit limits and time outs. If you think you have a problem, advice and support is available from BeGambleAware or Gamcare. Any offers or odds listed in this article are correct at the time of publication but are subject to change. Terms & Conditions apply to all offers.
