Justin Gaethje scored a huge upset in the main event of UFC Freedom 250, beating Ilia Topuria via corner stoppage to finally win undisputed gold.
It had been a surreal night of fights on the White House’s South Lawn, a celebration of 250 years of the United States and the 80th birthday of US President Donald Trump. And it took another turn when Gaethje handed Topuria the first loss of his professional career.
The stoppage came between the fourth round and the fifth and final frame, as Topuria was unable to continue after sustaining significant damage across 20 minutes of brutal action. The fight had nearly been stopped after round three, when a doctor advised referee Marc Goddard to halt the bout, but Goddard let it continue.
Perhaps the official felt bound to, due to the occasion at hand, but it only led Topuria to suffer more damage, with the Spanish-Georgian’s face barely recognisable by the end.
And so the fight was waved off, as Gaethje – who entered the bout as a two-time interim champion – won the undisputed UFC lightweight title at the third time of asking.
After heartbreak against Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2020 and Charles Oliveira in 2022, and with the unbeaten Topuria standing across from him on Sunday, Gaethje was a huge underdog here.
But he ate numerous right crosses from Topuria, 29, in round one, while incessantly tagging the champion with jabs. It was a tough round to score, but the second was simpler; after Topuria dropped Gaethje with a body shot, he controlled the American in the grappling exchanges and attacked submissions late in the round.
However, that was the peak for Topuria, who was composed in spells but often veered from that approach, to his own detriment. In round three, Gaethje landed crosses almost at will, with one freezing Topuria. A knockout might have ensued if Gaethje had opted for further strikes, but he attempted a D’arce choke instead to no avail. As such, Topuria survived and made it to round four, but barely.
In the fourth, he again scored a takedown but was this time unable to control Gaethje. His next takedown was denied late in the round, and Gaethje kneed the kneeling champion to the body, leaving “El Matador” wincing. Moments later the fight was waved off.
In the co-main event, there was another upset, as Ciryl Gane stopped Alex Pereira in round two to win the interim heavyweight belt. Pereira was aiming to become the first three-weight champion in UFC history, but the former middleweight and light-heavyweight king was stopped while standing.
Earlier in the night, former bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley rolled back the years with a stoppage of Aiemann Zahabi, with the American star beating the Canadian in round two. However, other Americans fared worse in their bouts with foreign fighters: Steve Garcia started well but was knocked out by Brazil’s Diego Lopes in round two, and there was another Brazilian win when Mauricio Ruffy stopped Michael Chandler in the first round.
There were also two all-American fights, as controversial heavyweight Josh Hokit required just one round to beat Donald Trump’s favourite fighter Derrick Lewis, and Bo Nickal similarly scored a first-round win over Kyle Daukaus. Hokit crudely followed his win by shouting that Michelle Obama, the former First Lady, “is a man”.
