Fighters Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje were involved in a heated altercation in front of the Lincoln Memorial during their final news conference, just two days before the UFC's unprecedented event at the White House. Lightweight champion Topuria, 29, pushed interim title holder Gaethje, 37, after both had predicted victory in their unification bout. Gaethje reportedly responded by laughing off the incident, remarking on the historic location and Topuria's behaviour.
The exchange saw UFC president Dana White intervene, as Gaethje questioned Topuria's conduct against the backdrop of the iconic Washington D.C. monument. Earlier, Georgian-Spaniard Topuria had confidently told Gaethje that he would "knock his lights out in the first round," asserting his belief in being the world's best fighter. The news conference itself was held in Washington D.C., setting the stage for Sunday's main event.
Scheduled as UFC Freedom 250, the unique show is set to take place on the White House's South Lawn, marking a significant milestone as the first professional live sporting event ever held on the grounds. The event is part of wider celebrations for US President Donald Trump's 80th birthday and to commemorate 250 years of American independence. The Lincoln Memorial provided a dramatic setting for the fighters, who were also accorded a guard of honour by the U.S. Army Herald Trumpets before the conference began.
Beyond the main event's drama, the co-main event will feature France's Ciryl Gane and Brazil's Alex Pereira battling for the interim heavyweight title. Should Pereira emerge victorious, he would make history as the first fighter in UFC to secure belts across three divisions, having previously held middleweight and light-heavyweight titles. Topuria himself acknowledged Pereira's impressive achievements, describing him as a 'GOAT' (greatest of all time) in the sport.
The event faced an initial delay of approximately one hour due to "inclement weather," and thunderstorms are forecast for Washington D.C. on Sunday. Despite previous reservations from Dana White about outdoor events due to unpredictable weather, he has vowed that the fights will proceed "no matter what," with lightning being the only potential cancellation factor. The UFC has reportedly invested around $60 million (approximately £44.3 million) into the event, which White believes has the potential to be one of the "biggest and most historic sporting event of all time." Furthermore, a federal lawsuit alleging misuse of national monuments was rejected by Judge Amit P. Mehta, clearing the path for the event to go ahead.
Source: UFC