The UFC pulled off an unprecedented, numbered-style fight card at the White House, of all places, a pivotal symbol of the United States Executive Branch. The special UFC Freedom 250 card featured just seven bouts, all of which being on the same card. So, the main card, it seems, was more like the only card.
Regardless, all seven of the fights ended with a finish including the two final title fights to cap off the night. Some matchups made more sense than others and some were certainly more competitive than others. In the main event, Ilia Topuria suffered the first loss of his professional career as Justin Gaethje legitimized his UFC Interim Lightweight title. In the co-main event, top ranked UFC heavyweight Ciryl Gane stopped Alex Pereira, denying him of a historic third belt in three different weight classes. The heavyweight and lightweight division were left especially reeling from this card.
Ilia Topuria
(Interim C) Justin Gaethje battered and brutalized the face of (C) Ilia Topuria, leaving him nearly unrecognizable on his way to a stoppage between the third in fourth round of the main event on Sunday. This was the first loss of Ilia’s now 18-fight career. He’s now 9-1 with the UFC.
The best fight for Ilia here is for him to stay at lightweight and establish himself. There are some climbing fighters fighting next month that could offer Topuria the perfect opportunity. Giving Topuria the loser of Paddy Pimblett vs. Benoit St-Denis makes a lot of sense here. Those two fight on July 11 so the timing could be fine. Topuria is going to need some time to recover. If Paddy loses, he’d be on a two-fight skid as he lost a unanimous decision to Gaethje back in January. Paddy would be 7-2 with the promotion. BSD is riding a four-fight win streak after he was finished twice; by Dustin Poirier then Renato Moicano in 2024. Either way, Ilia drawing one of these fighters would be an optimal way for him to start a rebuild. Easy co-main of a ‘PPV’ (numbered card).
Topuria’s next fight: (#6) Paddy Pimblett vs. (#5) Benoit St. Denis loser
Alex Pereira
(#1HW) Ciryl Gane had (#2LHW) Alex Pereira out on his feet against the cage early in the second round of their bout in the co main event slot of UFC Freedom 250 on Sunday. Alex has lost two of his last three fights and is 10-3 with the promotion.
Alex said that he would speak with his coaches regarding whether or not he would be staying at heavyweight for his next fight or going back down to light heavyweight. Should Pereira go back down, he should take on the current champion, Carlos Ulberg. Since Pereira was forced to vacate his strap, Carlos took just a round to smoke former champ, Jiri Prochazka. Putting my eggs in the basket that Pereira and his camp elect to pack it up and go back down to 205lbs. and this would produce the matchup that makes the most sense. Not to say Alex doesn’t come back up, but he’s definitely looking to keep active.
I could see Alex drawing any number of names in the heavyweight division if he elects to stay. (#4) Waldo Cortes Acosta and his snappy boxing is a name that comes to mind that is coming off a loss as well. Last in the cage against (#2) Alexander Volkov last month losing a unanimous decision. Of course, whatever Pereira elects to do will be on a number card in a co main or main event slot.
Pereira’s next fight: (LWCHMP) Carlos Ulberg
Aiemann Zahabi
(#3) Sean O’Malley delivered yet another highlight reel KO on Sunday night with his second-round finish of (#6) Aiemann Zahabi. The finish had all of the signature style that ‘Suga’ has come to be known for, during his tenure with the promotion. Aiemann falls to 8-3 in the UFC as he suffers his first defeat in over seven years. After starting 1-2 with the promotion, Zahabi ripped off 7-wins in a row nearly ascending into the top 5 of the division.
Now Aiemann has to pick up the pieces after facing the former champ. Zahabi’s next fight should be against the loser of (#4) Cory Sandhagen vs. (#7) Mario Bautista. That fight is on July 11th. Cory is 2-2 in his last four. He’s coming off an unsuccessful title shot opposite of Merab Dvalishvili last October. Mario has 9 of his last 10 heading into this bout. His only loss in that stretch came to Umar Nurmagomedov in October of last year. Giving Aiemann the loser would make a lot of sense rankings-wise as well as timing-wise. Could see a bout like that as a co main or main event of a fight night card, easily. Big implications for an ever-moving bantamweight division.
Zahabi’s next fight: (#4) Cory Sandhagen vs. (#7) Mario Bautista loser
Derrick Lewis
(#5) Josh Hokit outclasses and dispatched a 41-year-old (#9) Derrick Lewis in an interesting, but lopsided heavyweight fight on Sunday. This may have been a ‘special order’ bout, but that doesn’t help it make too much more sense. Especially considering Hokit was heading into this one on the heels of his April victory of Curtis Blaydes.
But anyways, back to Derrick. “The Black Beast” is now 20-12 with the UFC and 2-2 in his last four. Firmly in the exciting and established gatekeeper realm. Derrick’s next fight should be against the loser of Marcin Tybura vs. Alexsandar Rakic. Aleksandar is moving up to the heavyweight division after an ugly four-fight losing skid stemming from a nasty knee injury opposite of Jan Blachowicz four years ago. Rakic was a force to be reckoned with and is 6-5 with the promotion. He’s only lost to killers; this current losing streak includes Jan, Jiri Prochazka, Magomed Ankalaev and Azamat Murzakanov. Interested to see him with the big boys, as he’s got a large frame.
Tybura is on a two-fight losing skid having lost to Ante Delija and Tyrell Fortune most recently. Tybura and Lewis fought in 2018 and Lewis finished him in the third round. This would be a fun one to run back as Marcin in Derrick’s age and being used similarly. Timing isn’t great as this fight doesn’t go down till early August. Still plausible.
Lewis’s next fight:(#12) Marcin Tybura vs. Alexsandar Rakic loser
Michael Chandler
(#9) Mauricio Ruffy looked as spectacular as ever as he had an answer for nearly everything that his hyper-explosive opponent, Michael Chandler, threw at him on Sunday. Chandler now has the miserable promotional record of 2-6 with the added bonus of one of his wins being against a fighter no longer with the UFC (Tony Ferguson). Chandler’s other win is Dan Hooker in his UFC debut in early 2021.
40-year-old Michael Chandler is in a horrible position after the loss at the White House. But he could still pull a huge fight and an even bigger payday. Chandler’s next fight is a no brainer here; he should draw the loser of Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway. That fight goes down on July 11 so timing would be great. Conor will be days away from turning 38-years-old in his next appearance (if you can believe that) and has lost three of his last four fights dating back to 2018. That stretch includes fights against Khabib Nurmagomedov, Donald Cerrone, and Dustin Poirier, twice. If Conor loses to Max in the pair’s rematch and doesn’t retire, then Mike is going to get his money fight. Only other fight on the table for Conor would be a Diaz fight, at least that makes sense.
Holloway is 4-3 in his last seven bouts dating back to 2022. He’s been way more active than Conor, obviously, and has lost to Alexander Volkanovski, Ilia Topuria, and Charles Oliveria in that stretch. All title fights. He’s coming off a five round unanimous decision defeat to Charles back in March. If he somehow loses, why not give him Chandler? Mike will likely somehow stay in the rankings, and it’d be a fun fight for fans.
Chandler’s next fight: Conor McGregor vs (#4) Max Holloway loser
Kyle Daukaus
Bo Nickal made quick work of Kyle Daukaus, dropping his opponent with a nice right hook and finishing him off with some terrifying ground strikes. The loss was Kyle’s first since being resigned to the UFC last year. In this second stint with the promotion, he had two finishes under a minute. One over Michel Perira and then over Gerald Meerschaert last November. The result on Sunday brings Kyle’s UFC record to 4-5, 1 NC.
Kyle should target former welterweight and middleweight title challenger, Kelvin Gastelum for his next bout.
Kyle was originally scheduled for the bout against Vicente Luque on April 11 but got rescheduled to take on Bo on this massive card. Vicente took on Kelvin in April instead and steam rolled him in a round. So great fighters to match up here, considering they had a similar outcome. Timing isn’t the greatest, but it could certainly work as Gastelum is a name a Daukaus has earned that. Kelvin is 2-3 in his last five, losing to Sean Brady at 170lbs. and Joe Pyfer at MW. Of course, Kelvin’s missed weight in that stretch so he always has a question mark next to his name. Fun scrappy fight to make between two capable fighters who have yet to put it all together in the UFC, albeit for two totally different reasons.
Daukaus’s next fight: Kelvin Gastelum
Steve Garcia
(#2) Diego Lopes notched another wild finish to his resume with his spinning stoppage over (#9) Steve Garcia to win the first bout of UFC Freedom 250 in the first round. Steve entered Sunday riding a seven-fight win streak as he was another fighter who had started off 1-2 with the UFC before streaking. That seven-fight win streak also featured six finishes. Truly devastating for Steve.
Going to do something a little different here. Jean last fought at the end of January and likes to stay pretty active. he’s gone 6-1 with the UFC in two years. His only loss with the UFC was in his second to last fight when Diego Lopes finished him in the second round. Jean bounced back with his last win over Arnold Allen via unanimous decision. Silva is likely going to be booked for a fight any day now. Steve should draw the loser of that bout as that is guaranteed to get him on the right track with a banger of a fight. He can’t rebuild the streak in one fight, but he can recapture some of the hype.
Garcia’s next fight: (#6) Jean Silva vs. next opponent loser
