Join us for a special Fight Companion as we react live to the FINAL 4 bouts on the UFC Freedom 250 card, a historic event taking place at the White House featuring championship stakes, star power, and enough drama to keep the MMA world talking long after the final bell.

Whether you’re watching along with friends or looking for a place to celebrate victories and vent about scorecards, we’ve got you covered with live analysis, instant reactions, and plenty of laughs throughout the night. So settle in, jump in the chat, and experience one of the wildest nights in UFC history with the Cageside Press crew.

UFC Freedom 250

Ilia Topuria (C) vs. Justin Gaethje – UFC Lightweight Championship
Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane – UFC Interim Heavyweight Championship
Sean O’Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi – Bantamweight Bout
Josh Hokit vs. Derrick Lewis – Heavyweight Bout
Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler – Lightweight Bout
Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus – Middleweight Bout
Diego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia – Featherweight Bout

The historic UFC Freedom 250 card takes place June 14 on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington DC.

The post UFC Freedom 250 Fight Companion LIVESTREAM appeared first on Cageside Press.

On paper, it is an exciting bout no matter which way you imagine it going. The undefeated knockout artist Ilia Topuria takes on the heavy-handed Justin Gaethje in a bout that most expect will see heavy damage inflicted no matter how long it lasts.

But there’s more to the story when looking at their careers.

Topuria has only ever known success professionally. The undefeated Spaniard with a multicultural background entered the UFC in 2020 at 23 years-old following an 8-0 run that saw him claim the Cage Warriors and Mix Fight Events titles. Since then, he’s put a nine fight win-streak in the Octagon that is on par with anything any fighter has ever put together. By 2023, UFC CFO Hunter Campbell saw so much potential in Topuria that he personally flew to Spain to re-sign “El Matador” to a new contract.

El Matador can take the fight anywhere and finish it 🤯@TopuriaIlia makes his first title defense Saturday night at #UFC308

[ @VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabi ] pic.twitter.com/Dh2kBfjuEp

— UFC (@ufc) October 21, 2024

The rest, as they say, is history. Topuria won the title on the first fight of his new deal and stopped the legendary Alexander Volkanovski in the second round. How did he follow that up? With a third round knockout of longtime champion Max Holloway several months later. Most recently, he moved up to lightweight where he won the title there, this time needing less than a round to stop Charles Oliveira. Three future Hall of Famers in a row all dispatched by knockout. Some are saying it is the best three fight run by a fighter in UFC history.

If that wasn’t enough, many are already matchmaking for his future. A fight with fellow pound-for-pound kingpin Islam Makhachev or surging contender and budding Internet personality Arman Tsarukyan is already on the horizon should he be victorious at his latest seminal event.

For the challenger, excitement and his name have always gone hand-in-hand. Justin Gaethje was the gem of the former WSOF as he emerged as a budding star for the company back in 2013. Born in Arizona and now based out of Colorado, Gaethje was immediately pushed to the forefront when he signed with the UFC in 2016. He has lived up to his nickname “The Highlight” since then with performance bonuses in every single one of his victories, and even in some of those that did not go his way. He has delighted the fans and his peers alike with his style, being bestowed the moniker of “your favorite fighter’s favorite fighter” by many.

If there’s one thing missing from Gaethje’s career though, it is undisputed gold. He has twice won interim gold (including in his most recent fight) and is a previous winner of the BMF title belt. But in his two attempts to claim the full championship, he has come up short. Last year, he was vocal that he felt this title run would be his last and that he would consider walking away if he was not put in position to challenge for the belt. At 37 years-old, it would seem that he is in the final few pages of a supremely beloved UFC career. While his opponent has now enjoyed the summit on two mountains for some time now, Gaethje will be looking to finally bask in the peak for the first time.

WHAT A KNOCKOUT 😱@Justin_Gaethje looks to bring home the interim title at #UFC324!

[ SAT JAN 24 | 9pmET on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/JBnmwjOxXg

— UFC (@ufc) January 19, 2026

If the road wasn’t winding enough, Gaethje also gets the distinction that he is the American in the final fight to take place on the White House lawn at the event billed in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States. If that isn’t enough of a stage for a seminal moment then what is?

The post UFC White House: A Tale of Two Journeys in Topuria vs Gaethje appeared first on Cageside Press.

How special is Alex Pereira?

Well, you are seeing history in the making. To put it in only a few words, you are seeing a fighter in “Poatan” who has not needed many fights or relatively even as much cage time as other fighters to put himself on the cusp of history to do what no UFC fighter has done before.

Poatan power hits DIFFERENT 😮‍💨@AlexPereiraUFC is ready to earn his belt back on Saturday night 🏆

[ #UFC320 | LIVE 10pmET on @ESPN PPV ] pic.twitter.com/agjI2VtM2e

— UFC (@ufc) October 2, 2025

The former kickboxing champion was only 3-1 when he was signed to the UFC back in 2021. It would be an understatement to say what came next has been considered a generational run. Four fights later, which took him just a single year to record by the way, he was already booked for his first UFC title fight against his former Glory rival and the reigning superstar middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. He was losing the bout, until he wasn’t. In the fifth round stopped Adesanya with an all-time epic rally to win UFC gold for the first time.

He would lose the title in the rematch, but reinvented himself shortly thereafter as a light-heavyweight and a year after winning his first belt he’d go on to win his second. Since then he’s won five title fights, briefly dropping the belt before taking it back decisively in the rematch to Magomed Ankalaev last year. Along the way he’s defeated six past, current, or future UFC champions. Oftentimes he has not even needed past the second round to dispatch his elite foes.

It’s a run that has brought him to the cusp of history. He reportedly went to the UFC office and pushed for a fight with heavyweight champion Jon Jones the night before he fought to reclaim his light heavyweight championship back in October. While it is not Jones he will be facing, Pereira is all the same challenging for the interim heavyweight title on Sunday, making him the first to compete for and potentially win UFC gold of any kind in three different weight classes. His career is already guaranteed to see him make it into the Hall of Fame, but what remains to be seen is if he will add more history to his resume before then.

Ciryl Gane’s journey looked rather similar once upon a time. “Bon Gamin” was only 3-0 when he was brought into the UFC in 2019 and rattled off seven straight wins en route to becoming the interim heavyweight champion two years later. Undefeated and being pushed as the next generation of MMA heavyweight, Gane would come up short against Francis Ngannou – who had previously been coached by Gane’s coach Fernand Lopez – in an attempt to unify the titles.

Put on a masterclass to become France's first champ 🇫🇷@Ciryl_Gane faces Alex Pereira for the interim heavyweight title at #UFCWhiteHouse on Sunday June 14!

[ Title fights presented by @Cryptocom ] pic.twitter.com/j62Xeai2xD

— UFC (@ufc) May 23, 2026

He would get back in the win-column before his second undisputed UFC title opportunity materialized, this time against the returning legend Jon Jones who was making his debut at heavyweight. That bid would be unsuccessful as well, with Gane making a crucial error that led to him being submitted in the first round.

Since then, Gane’s trajectory has not been a straight line. A bounce back win over Serghei Spivac led to a rematch with former foe Alexander Volkov in which Gane suffered an injured ankle and fans were divided when he was awarded a split-decision victory. That said, he was granted another shot at undisputed gold last October. This time against Tom Aspinall.

Brief as it was, the fight was notable for seeing Gane getting the better of the champion for the better part of the first round. Unfortunately, a severe eye-poke inflicted by Gane led to a No Contest in the match and Aspinall remains out of action as he rehabilitates the injury. Regardless of whether it seemed Gane would go on to finally win the belt that night, the fact remains that it was once more a title fight in which Gane left without UFC gold.

This leads to Sunday’s critical contest. This will be Gane’s fifth fight with UFC gold on the line and poise him to have even more attention going into a potential rematch with Aspinall were he to win. He also gets the advantage, at least at a glance, that this is the first opponent in a title fight who may be undersized for the weight class. If there was a time for Gane to finally win a proverbial big one, it feels as if it’s now.

The post UFC White House: History on Deck in Pereira vs Gane appeared first on Cageside Press.

This fight is a chance to prove he belongs in the conversation with the UFC’s ranked middleweights. He’s already put together some impressive performances inside the Octagon, and he believes a win over Nickal on one of the biggest stages in the sport would be impossible to ignore.

“Definitely didn’t expect to be on the card. I said before I didn’t really think I deserve to be on the card just base off the caliber of fighters that are on it,” Daukaus told reporters including Cageside Press on Wednesday.

“If you take a look at it, kind of take a step back, and look from the outside, my story and stuff like that, I think it all comes together. Me being on this card, kind of shining on this card, you couldn’t have written it any better to have a story like this.”

Daukaus (17-4) knows that trying to predict how the UFC rewards momentum can be a frustrating ordeal, especially after putting together an impressive run inside the Octagon.

A statement victory over a high profile opponent like Nickal would make it impossible for the promotion to ignore and could finally earn him a place among the ranked middleweights.

“Unpredictable with the UFC as far as where you projected and whatnot after good wins. After two finishes in the UFC, obviously, you would think that there would be a potential number next to your name, but I think a fight like this against Bo would kind of do that as well,” he said.

“A good performance against him, a good finish on him, would definitely put me with number next to my name.”

Daukaus sees the unique dynamic of competing against one of Penn State wrestling’s most recognizable names, understanding that Nickal’s accomplishments competing for Penn State have earned him a loyal following throughout Pennsylvania.

Still, the middleweight contender made it clear that fan allegiances won’t influence his mindset, as his focus remains squarely on delivering the performance he believes will earn him the biggest win of his career.

“The wrestling community at Penn State is huge. They have a huge like backing, a very good support which is good to see. I know the die hards wrestling fans are always on his side, which is fine,” he said.

“Doesn’t really matter to me. I’m just going to go out there to perform. I feel like whoever wins they’re going to support no matter what, but I’m getting my hand raised Sunday night.”

Watch the entire media day scrum with Kyle Daukaus above. He faces Bo Nickal at UFC White House on Sunday night.

The post Kyle Daukaus: ‘I’m Getting My Hand Raised Sunday Night’ appeared first on Cageside Press.

“Yeah huge moments, big cards. Definitely this is kind of what I envisioned coming up,” O’Malley told reporters including Cageside Press on Wednesday.

“The White House card’s epic. I’m not the main event, I’m not the headliner, I’m honored to be on it. Super excited to be on it.”

O’Malley (19-3) said that a matchup with Zahabi had actually been on the table before, but circumstances within the bantamweight division repeatedly sent him in different directions.

While other names such as Song Yadong and Petr Yan were also discussed, the former champion said he’s ultimately good with how things unfolded and sees Zahabi as an opponent who’ll bring a good fight.

“After the second Merab (Dvalishvili) fight, Aiemann called me out, I said yes. UFC said, ‘you’re fighting Song’. So I was like alright,” he said.

“Then this comes around. I wanted to fight Petr. They said Aiemann. I like the matchup.”

O’Malley said his preparation for Zahabi has centered around preparing for a relentless pressure attack from the Canadian. Drawing comparisons to some of the toughest fighters he has faced, the former bantamweight champion anticipates Zahabi continuing to move forward even under heavy fire, though he isn’t convinced he’ll be able to withstand the same punishment for long.

“Turn 15-minute timer on and punch the punching bag for 15 minutes. Chito’s (Vera) as durable as it comes. You guys saw what I did to Chito. It could be that Kris Mountinho kind of style. Come forward, get hit, but come forward,” he said.

“It’s kind of what I’m expecting out of him. Except I don’t think he’s going to be able to take the shots.”

O’Malley will be looking for another shot at UFC gold with a win over Zahabi, but he stopped short of assuming that he’d be the next 135er to fight for the title.

With the bantamweight division continuing to evolve around him, the former champion said he’s remaining flexible and focused on handling the task directly in front of him before worrying about what comes next.

“My next fight will probably be for the title,” O’Malley said.

“I don’t know if the next title fight will involve me in it. Seems like Petr-Merab’s kind of the way it’s leaning, but whether I wait or take another fight, I don’t know. It’s so hard to predict how these fights play out. Taking it one fight at a time.”

Watch the entire media day scrum with Sean O’Malley above. He faces Aiemann Zahabi at UFC White House on Sunday night.

The post Sean O’Malley: ‘My Next Fight Will Probably Be for the Title’ appeared first on Cageside Press.

What began as another championship assignment has turned into something more personal for Topuria, who didn’t hold back when talking about comments made by Gaethje in the buildup to one of the most anticipated fights of the year.

“I was surprised a little bit. I wasn’t expecting him doing this kind of things, but, it is what it is,” Topuria told reporters including Cageside Press on Wednesday.

“He said so many things after what he said. First of all he said that he wasn’t meaning about the divorce, then he said that he was joking. Whatever, I don’t care. Honestly, you can’t take anything personal from a idiot. He’s an idiot. ‘My father is my dad’. That’s all.”

For Topuria (17-0) the emotions surrounding this matchup have long gone beyond the usual competitive stakes, admitting that the line between business and personal feelings can sometimes blur. Even so, he stressed that throughout his career he has consistently found a way to channel those emotions into his performances without losing sight of his responsibilities as a professional athlete.

“Throughout my career I’ve always faced situations that turn into that. Turns into personal and professional, but I’ve always been able to manage those and turn those things into something. It is personal, but I’ve always been a professional,” he said.

“On the 14th of June you’re going to see that I’m going to be the professional that I am.”

Topuria said he isn’t expecting the version of Gaethje that fans have become accustomed to seeing throughout his UFC career, predicting a much more measured and strategic approach.

Rather than engaging in a firefight from the opening bell, Topuria believes Gaethje will attempt to conserve energy as he hopes to get into the championship rounds of their main event bout.

“I think that we are going to see a completely different Justin than we used to see. He’s going to show up in a completely different style. He’s going to try to wrestle, he’s going to try to come out with the hard kicks. With the strategy to go into the later rounds, and then be like fading and come out with the punches,” he said.

Topuria is confident in his ability to capitalize on Gaethje’s trademark aggression, suggesting that charging forward recklessly would play directly into his hands. At the same time, the undefeated champion questioned whether Gaethje would actually stick to that approach once the cage door closes, as he expects to dictate the terms of the fight.

“Listen, if he’s going to try to move forward, we all know what’s going to happen. I’m going to put him to sleep in the first two minutes,” he said.

“But I don’t know how much of what he’s saying is the truth. He’s going to have to deal with my strategy, I’m not going to have to deal with his.”

Watch the entire media day scrum with Ilia Topuria above. He headlines UFC White House against Justin Gaethje on Sunday night.

The post Ilia Topuria Fires Back at Justin Gaethje: ‘You Can’t Take Anything Personal From an Idiot’ appeared first on Cageside Press.

“I feel like I’m grateful for all the opportunities that I’ve been given to compete at big events, and exciting places,” Nickal told reporters including Cageside Press on Wednesday.

“This is definitely the biggest and most exciting that I’ve been a part of and overall just feeling really grateful for the opportunity. It’s a blessing so want to make the most of it.”

Nickal (8-1) said competing under the bright lights has never been something he’s shied away from, pointing to a lifetime spent performing in pressure filled situations dating back to his wrestling career. Rather than viewing the magnitude of events like UFC White House as a burden or adding pressure, the middleweight sees them as opportunities to elevate his performance and showcase his best work.

“Big moments like this are a part of that. My whole life and whole career have been big moments and they always continue to get bigger and more exciting and this is another one of those,” he said.

“I don’t really try to minimize it or diminish it at all. It’s something that’s exciting. The bigger the moment the better I’m going to perform.”

Nickal described his relationship with President Donald Trump as one of the more unexpected developments of his rise in combat sports, saying he has been grateful for the support and encouragement he’s received along the way. The former NCAA wrestling champion admitted that moments like golfing with a sitting president are still wild to process, especially considering his small town upbringing in Wyoming.

“Our relationship has been unique. It’s been something that…I’ve appreciate it a lot. As somebody who is as powerful and busy and doing all the things that he’s doing, he does take time out of his day to give me a call once in a while,” he said.

“Been golfing with him a couple times and it’s surreal to be able to do that. I grew up in a town of 5,000 people in Wyoming and to be able to like golf with the president and hang out with him is like unbelievable. I just really appreciate how genuine and authentic he is all the time. Pumped to be able to be part of this event.”

Nickal couldn’t resist taking a playful jab when asked about Colby Covington’s reported retirement, turning the topic into an opportunity for some lighthearted trash talk. He suggested Covington’s decision to walk away may have had less to do with timing and more to do with avoiding a potential matchup with him.

“Yeah crazy. He doesn’t want to fight me so bad that he ended his entire career,” he said.

“Probably a smart move on his part.”

Watch the entire media day scrum with Bo Nickal above. He faces Kyle Daukaus at UFC White House on Sunday night.

The post Bo Nickal Reflects on Friendship With Donald Trump Before UFC White House appeared first on Cageside Press.

The undefeated heavyweight faces Derrick Lewis on Sunday night in the biggest fight of his career, fully aware of the dangers ‘The Black Beast’ presents while remaining convinced that his own unique style and personality are exactly what the sport needs.

“Yeah I’m going to fight him differently. You can’t take a punch like that from Derrick Lewis,” Hokit told reporters including Cageside Press on Wednesday.

“I’m stupid, but I’m not that stupid.”

Hokit (9-0) pushed back against criticism that his larger-than-life persona is nothing more than an act, arguing that his performances inside the cage speak for themselves. Blending humor, confidence and a string of colorful one-liners, Hokit insisted that anyone questioning his authenticity should take a look at the list of opponents he’s already left behind.

“They want to talk about it being fake and I don’t like that. Ask my opponents if it was fake,” he said before changing back into his Hulk character.

“When I chewed up and spit out (Guilherme) Uriel like some old cereal. When I showed (Max) Gimenis what semen is. See what I did there? When I bent hell on Denzel (Freeman) was it fake? When I threw bombs and grenades on Curtis Blaydes, was it fake? When I beat Derrick Lewis, clueless…will it be fake?”

Hokit didn’t shy away from setting lofty goals for himself, confidently predicting that a showdown with former champion Alex Pereira is only a matter of time. Staying true to his hilarious promotional style, Hokit mixed genuine ambition with outrageous trash talk as he painted a memorable picture of how he sees that future rivalry unfolding.

“It’s inevitable. We’re going to fight one day. I know he knows it,” he said.

“And Alex Pereira and his bbl could go to hell. I’m the lion, he’s the weak gazelle, I’m going to beat him till he swells. I’m going to put his head in the microwave. It’s going to give off a pizza smell.”

Watch the entire media day scrum with Josh Hokit above. He faces Derrick Lewis at UFC White House on Sunday night.

The post Josh Hokit Defends His Persona: ‘Ask My Opponents If It Was Fake’ appeared first on Cageside Press.

“I’m going to say maybe more than Tom (Aspinall), but the fight with Tom was huge also because a lot of people waiting for this fight. New bridge of generation of heavyweight. It was a beautiful event also,” Gane told reporters including Cageside Press on Wednesday.

“But this one going to be unique. Going to be just historic so I’m happy. Pereira is a great champion.”

Gane (13-2) said he isn’t making the mistake of underestimating Pereira simply because of the move up in weight class. The former interim heavyweight champion expects Pereira and his team to have thoroughly prepared for the transition and plans to approach the matchup as if he’ll be facing the very best version of the Brazilian striker.

“He is a professional so I’m pretty sure what he do with his team. I’m preparing because we expected the best version of Alex Pereira (at) heavyweight. Full speed, conditioning and power,” he said.

The former UFC interim heavyweight champion is coming off a no contest bout with heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall which ended due to an unfortunate eye poke. Gane admitted the immediate aftermath of the bout left him dealing with a whirlwind of emotions, particularly after all the sacrifices and preparation that went into the fight.

“Straight after the fight, in the cage, I was a mix of feelings. Little bit frustrated, little bit angry, little bit sad because thinking about all the sacrifice I made. After that it was a good first round, injury free, most important is that,” he said.

“I was a little bit confused, but after that I was ok.”

Gane didn’t appear interested in escalating the war of words surrounding the controversy, instead taking a measured approach to Aspinall’s accusation. The French heavyweight maintained that he followed the rules throughout the contest and pointed to the referee’s handling of the situation as validation of his conduct inside the cage.

“This is his opinion. You have a beautiful professional referee. The referee told me nothing because I respect the rules. It’s just an opinion,” said Gane.

Watch the entire media day scrum with Ciryl Gane above. He faces Alex Pereira at UFC White House on Sunday night.

The post Ciryl Gane Responds to Tom Aspinall’s Cheating Accusation appeared first on Cageside Press.

“Setting the pace with me and Diego Lopes is the way to start this card off. For me, I prefer to be the first or last on this type of event,” Garcia told reporters including Cageside Press on Wednesday.

“All eyes will be on us, and you guys are going to see why.”

Garcia (19-5) said a major part of his preparation for Lopes has involved studying film and identifying the subtle habits that can make a difference on fight night. With plenty of footage available on his opponent, Garcia and his team have focused on recognizing patterns, tendencies and the situations where Lopes is most likely to react in predictable ways.

“As we break everybody down we definitely try to pick up on the tendencies and triggers and just different mindsets on who the opponent is that they’re fighting. He has a lot of tape so you can kind of do that,” he said.

Garcia spoke highly of his friend Josh Hokit outside of the spotlight, describing him as a genuinely good person despite the larger-than-life personality fans may see during fight promotion.

While Garcia admitted Hokit’s entertaining side might not align with the more traditional martial arts values he grew up around, he also acknowledged that adapting to the modern era of combat sports is part of the business. In Garcia’s eyes, Hokit has found a way to embrace the entertainment aspect of the sport without losing sight of who he is as a person.

“He knows how to act really well, maybe? The Josh I know is a good dude man. He really is,” he said.

“Right now, enjoy his entertainment. Enjoy his performances. I know right now the shift in promoting has changed. I kind of come from like a little bit more of an honorable type of background. Martial arts used to be kind of like that. Now it’s come to an entertainment spectacle. I’m not hating on it. You got to adjust to the times, and I think he’s done it well.”

Garcia laughed when asked how he planned to approach the matchup, offering a response that perfectly captured both his confidence and willingness to embrace chaos inside the Octagon. While there is undoubtedly a detailed game plan in place, Garcia made it clear that when the cage door closes, all bets are off.

“I’m just going to close my eyes and just start swinging,” he said.

Watch the entire media day scrum with Steve Garcia above. He faces Diego Lopes at UFC White House on Sunday night.

The post Steve Garcia on Diego Lopes: ‘All Eyes Will Be on Us’ at UFC White House appeared first on Cageside Press.