UFC announced the fight card for an event scheduled at the White House on June 14, 2026, as part of America 250 celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence.[1][2]

The card features two title bouts: Ilia Topuria facing Justin Gaethje for the UFC lightweight championship and Alex Pereira against Ciryl Gane for the interim UFC heavyweight championship.[1][3] Topuria, a Georgian fighter based in Spain who holds the UFC featherweight title as of early 2024, competes in his second UFC lightweight bout in this matchup.[3][4]

Gaethje, an American lightweight contender with a record of 25-5 entering 2024, previously challenged for the lightweight title.[3][5] Pereira, a Brazilian light heavyweight champion, and Gane, a French heavyweight contender, round out the title fights.[3][5]

Additional bouts include Sean O'Malley versus Aiemann Zahabi at bantamweight, Michael Chandler against Mauricio Ruffy at lightweight, Kyle Daukaus versus Bo Nickal at middleweight, and Steve Garcia facing Diego Lopes at featherweight.[1][3]

The event is titled UFC Freedom 250. UFC President Dana White stated the event would not be overly political, comparing it to past U.S. presidents' interests in sports.[1]

America 250 is the official U.S. semiquincentennial commemoration organized by the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission.[2]

Sources

1. Fox News Digital, "UFC announces card for White House event slated for June 14", publication date not specified in draft, https://www.foxnews.com/sports
2. America250.org, "America 250 - The Nation’s 250th Anniversary", accessed October 2024, https://america250.org/
3. UFC.com, "UFC Events and Fighters", accessed October 2024, https://www.ufc.com/
4. UFC.com, "Ilia Topuria Profile", accessed October 2024, https://www.ufc.com/athlete/ilia-topuria
5. ESPN.com, "UFC Fighter Profiles and Stats", accessed October 2024, https://www.espn.com/mma/fighters