The main event at UFC Freedom 250 is a lightweight championship title unification bout between current champion Ilia Topuria and two-time interim champion Justin Gaethje, held Sunday on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C. The card marks one of the more unusual settings in UFC history, with an outdoor venue on federal grounds adding logistical and weather complications the organization rarely faces.
According to CBS Sports, Topuria enters as a -500 favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook, with Gaethje listed at +380. The seven-bout main card is scheduled to begin at approximately 8 p.m. ET, streaming exclusively on Paramount+.
Topuria, 29, carries a perfect 17-0 professional record into the fight. He became the first Georgian and Spanish fighter to win a UFC title and is currently ranked No. 2 in the UFC men's pound-for-pound rankings. He is also the first two-division champion in UFC history to hold an undefeated record, and the 10th multi-division champion overall. He has earned five Performance of the Night honors and was named Fighter of the Year for 2024 by multiple outlets. His most recent fight was a first-round knockout of Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 last June. He has seven career wins by knockout, eight by submission, and two by decision.
Gaethje, 37, nicknamed "The Highlight," fights out of Denver. He is coming off a unanimous decision win over Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324 this past January. Gaethje has held the interim lightweight title twice, giving this unification bout additional stakes for both fighters.
The co-main event features a heavyweight interim title fight between Ciryl Gane and Alex Pereira. Gane is listed as the -112 favorite, with Pereira at -108. The over/under for total rounds is set at 2.5. A win for Pereira would make him the first three-weight champion in UFC history, having previously held titles at light heavyweight and middleweight.
Weather became a major topic in the hours leading up to the card. An outdoor fight card at the White House left the UFC exposed to rain, storms, and potential lightning delays. The Weather Channel's forecast for Washington pointed to a high chance of rain around the 8 p.m. ET start time, raising concerns especially for the earlier fights on the card.
Pereira addressed the situation directly before the event, posting a video on Instagram. The two-weight champion said: "What's up, guys? Chama! Look, I have a very important message. A lot of people are talking about the weather, because of the White House event. But, look, you can relax, because I've already connected to nature and it's not gonna rain. Chama."
According to Yahoo Sports, the forecast also suggested the rain risk should decrease as the evening progresses. That timing could work in Pereira's favor, as his bout with Gane is expected to be the penultimate fight on the card, meaning the worst of the weather may pass before he steps into the ring.
