UFC Freedom250 fighters guide: Everything to know before White House fights
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 06: (L-R) Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje pose on the South Lawn in front of the White House on May 06, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Zuffa LLC)
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Octagon has taken its place on the South Lawn and the lineup has been set as the countdown begins for a historic fight night in the nation's capital.
Here is everything we know about the athletes competing at UFC Freedom 250.
Who is fighting?
What we know:
The card for the June 14 fight at the White House features seven fights, highlighted by two title bouts.
Undefeated champion Ilia Topuria puts his Lightweight Championship belt on the line against Justin Gaethje for the main event as Brazilian powerhouse Alex Pereira faces off against France's Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title.
Rest of the main card:
- Bantamweight: Sean O'Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi
- Heavyweight: Josh Hokit vs. Derrick Lewis
- Lightweight: Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler
- Middleweight: Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus
- Featherweight: Diego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia
UFC’s White House fight card revealed: Here’s the lineup
The UFC has officially unveiled its unprecedented White House fight card, set to take place on June 14 as part of celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of American independence.
Time Magazine reports that the UFC did try to put a women's fight on the White House card, but White said they "couldn't get it done."
Fighters arrivals
Timeline:
Most fighters and their camps are expected to arrive in Washington, D.C., by Wednesday, June 10. The public will get its first look at the fighters during the official UFC Freedom 250 Press Conference, which kicks off at 8 p.m. on Friday, June 12, live from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
The fighters will make their final public appearances before the bout at the ceremonial weigh-ins, held at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 13, as part of the UFC Fan Fest on the Ellipse.
On Sunday, the fighters will warm up in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building and walk out from the Oval Office, according to Time Magazine.
Where are the fighters staying?
Local perspective:
During a standard UFC fight week, the promotion takes over a major resort or casino to serve as the host hotel for all athletes, corners, and staff. However, the exact hotel accommodations for the White House fighters has yet to be announced.
The athletes will likely be housed in high-end, heavily secured downtown D.C. hotels.
The Source: Information from this article was sourced from UFC, Time Magazine and previous reporting by FOX 5.