Justin Gaethje finally clinched the undisputed lightweight championship at UFC Freedom 250, and the White House served as the backdrop for what could be the fight card of the year. Every single bout on the seven-fight card ended by knockout — a genuinely rare feat in MMA — and the event didn’t just meet its lofty expectations. It blew straight past them.
Justin Gaethje’s Title Win Delivers an Instant Classic
Three attempts. One undisputed champion. Justin Gaethje’s fourth-round TKO victory over Ilia Topuria earns a straight A+ and it isn’t even close. Topuria had never been taken to those dark places before, and that inexperience told. The body work from Topuria was brutal, but Gaethje’s uppercuts were equally savage, and the ebb and flow between these two had everyone on the edge of their seats. Either man looked capable of being finished at any given moment. In the end, Gaethje bludgeoned Topuria so thoroughly that the Georgian retired on his stool after Round 4 — a stunning conclusion to an extraordinary fight. ESPN’s full fight coverage backs it up: this bout has just one rival for fight of the year, the epic April clash between Josh Hokit and Curtis Blaydes.
Also earning top marks was Ciryl Gane’s second-round TKO of Alex Pereira, which lands an A-. What looked set to be a coronation for Pereira turned into a masterclass from Gane, who used his jab to dismantle the Brazilian before dropping him and finishing the job. To his credit, Pereira survived the initial onslaught and clawed back to his feet — but Gane came again and blitzed him to become the first man to knock Pereira out since Israel Adesanya stopped him in their 2023 middleweight title fight. Gane now holds interim heavyweight gold.
Mauricio Ruffy’s first-round destruction of Michael Chandler also grades out at A-. This was genuine artistry — a spinning heel kick to scramble Chandler’s senses, a body shot to buckle him, then another spinning heel kick to end it. Chandler had been competitive in his recent outings, but Ruffy made him look completely outclassed. The Brazilian remains one of MMA’s most exciting finishers.
UFC Freedom 250 Undercard Grades: O’Malley, Nickal and Lopes Deliver
Sean O’Malley announced his return to form with a second-round KO of Anaís Zahabi, earning a B. Zahabi spent the first round tearing into O’Malley’s legs, and it wasn’t pretty. However, O’Malley bided his time, hunted his counter hook and landed it flush. He walked off as Zahabi hit the canvas — pure showmanship from The Suga Show.
Bo Nickal’s first-round TKO of Chris Daukaus grades at B as well. Nickal wrestled Daukaus down, landed a clean left hand and a short right hook to put him away for his fifth UFC finish. It was a complete, clinical performance that proved he’s no one-trick pony.
Diego Lopes edged out a B for his second-round KO of Joanderson Bonfim Garcia after an uncharacteristically hesitant opening round. Once Lopes committed, though, he pressed forward, invited the brawl and slammed home a short left hook to send Garcia crashing down. It made for a memorable conclusion to the first ever UFC event held at the White House.
Finally, Josh Hokit’s second-round TKO of Derrick Lewis picks up a B-. The grade reflects Lewis rather than Hokit, who was sharp, fast and relentless throughout. Lewis, by contrast, looked lethargic and entirely disengaged — a baffling effort from the UFC’s all-time knockout king. The official UFC results page tells the full story of a night where all seven bouts ended by stoppage — a landmark achievement for any card. UFC Freedom 250 is, for now, the event of the year.