The UFC announced the complete card for its historic White House event on June 14, 2026, dubbed UFC Freedom 250 as part of President Donald Trump's America 250 celebration. The main event features Ilia Topuria defending the UFC World Lightweight Championship against Justin Gaethje, while Alex Pereira faces Ciryl Gane for the interim UFC Heavyweight Championship in the co-main event. The card also includes Sean O'Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi, Michael Chandler vs. Mauricio Ruffy, Kyle Daukaus vs. Bo Nickal, and Steve Garcia vs. Diego Lopes. Dana White announced that 85,000 free tickets will be given away for fans to watch on The Ellipse, with approximately 5,000 able to view fights on the White House South Lawn.
The UFC has unveiled the complete fight card for UFC Freedom 250, a landmark event scheduled for June 14, 2026, at the White House as part of President Donald Trump's America 250 celebration. The promotion confirmed the full lineup, which includes a lightweight title defense, an interim heavyweight championship bout, and several high-profile matchups across the card.
Headlining the event, Ilia Topuria puts his UFC World Lightweight Championship on the line against Justin Gaethje. In the co-main event, Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane clash for the interim UFC Heavyweight Championship. The remainder of the card features Sean O'Malley taking on Aiemann Zahabi, Michael Chandler meeting Mauricio Ruffy, Kyle Daukaus squaring off with Bo Nickal, and Steve Garcia facing Diego Lopes.
Zahabi, the 38-year-old Canadian bantamweight out of Tristar Gym, holds a 14-3 record and carries a meaningful striking output of 4.54 significant strikes per minute with 47 percent accuracy. Ranked 14th in the division, he presents a seasoned test for O'Malley.
Chandler, nicknamed "Iron," enters his lightweight bout at 40 years old with a 23-11 record and a reputation for pressure fighting. The Kill Cliff FC product lands 4.04 significant strikes per minute and has averaged nearly two takedowns per 15 minutes throughout his career, giving him a multi-dimensional threat profile against the unbeaten Ruffy.
Bo Nickal, the 30-year-old American Top Team product, brings a 9-1 record and elite wrestling credentials into his middleweight bout with Daukaus. Nickal averages 3.1 takedowns per 15 minutes and 2.5 submission attempts in the same span, while his 61 percent striking accuracy ranks among the best on the card.
Why it matters
- Topuria's lightweight title defense and the Pereira interim heavyweight bout make this a dual-championship card
- Nickal's unbeaten run and high-percentage grappling keep him in the middleweight title conversation
- Dana White announced 85,000 free tickets for fans on The Ellipse, with roughly 5,000 spots available on the White House South Lawn, making this one of the most publicly accessible events in UFC history
