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Freedom 250: UFC reveals Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje as White House main event, full card

FaceProfileby: Thomas Goldkamp03/08/26

The much-awaited fight card for the White House weekend this summer has been announced by UFC. The card was unveiled during Saturday night’s UFC 326 broadcast on Paramount+.

Headlining the card will be a title fight between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje. Topuria is the defending title holder, having last delivered a first-round knockout of Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 in June.

Topuria boasts a perfect 17-0-0 record. He has won seven fights by knockout and eight by submission.

He’ll have his work cut out for him in the White House bout against Gaethje, who recently beat Paddy Pimblett in a five-round fight in January. Gaethje sports a 27-5-0 record, with 20-3 record in fights decided by knockout and a 1-2 record in fights ending in submission.

Another big fight on the card is the interim UFC heavyweight championship between Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane. Pereira is 13-3-0 and has won 11 fights by knockout. Gane is 13-2-0 and has won six fights by knockout and three by submission.

Fan favorite Sean O’Malley will also fight on the UFC White House card, which is being dubbed the Freedom 250. He’ll fight Aiemann Zahabi in a bantamweight bout.

You can view the rest of the White House card below. It was shared on the Paramount+ broadcast of UFC 326.

White House card will cost quite a bit

When UFC headed to The Sphere in Las Vegas in 2024, Dana White said the event cost $20 million. The event at the White House is expected to cost triple that.

The fight at the White House in June is expected to cost TKO roughly $60 million, according to a report from Puck. Set for June 14, the event is part of the festivities to celebrate the United States of America’s 250th anniversary of independence.

Previously, UFC CEO Dana White said it would be the “most-watched UFC event ever” with broadcasts on CBS and Paramount+. Additionally, President Donald Trump said the plan is to have around 100,000 people in attendance with a stadium in front of the White House.

“They are going to put up something that’s really amazing,” Trump said. “It’s really having to do with our great 250th birthday, where we’re having so many wonderful things. UFC is coming as you know, in front of the White House. They’re building literally a stadium, gonna have over 100,000 people.”

On3’s Nick Schultz also contributed to this report.