The “Freedom 250” UFC card at the White House ended after midnight Monday morning with an upset victory by American Justin Gaethje over Ilia Topuria, giving Gaethje the lightweight title belt while handing Topuria the first loss of his career.
Topuria entered as one of the top UFC fighters, having already won two divisions while staying undefeated, but Gaethje hurt the belt-holder so much that after the fourth round, Topuria’s corner stopped the right rather than send him out for a fifth and final round.
Gaethje celebrated by climbing to the top of the octagon cage and backflipping, then shaking President Trump’s hand.
Both fighters landed multiple punches in the first round after neither fighter opted to begin conservatively. Gaethje, the underdog, bloodied the right side of Topuria’s face.
Topuria’s uppercuts began to wear down his challenger in the second round, and Gaethje staggered into a corner before falling to the mat directly in front of where Trump and First Lady Melania Trump sat in the front row. Topuria pounced onto the American fighter in hopes of winning by submission, but Gaethje survived to a third round.
A stunning moment came midway through the third round when Gaethje’s jab directly to Topuria’s right eye sent him to the ground to chants of “U-S-A!” from the pro-U.S. audience. Blood from multiple cuts covered Topuria’s face. By round’s end, a ringside doctor checked Topuria’s vision and shook his head seemingly ready to stop the fight, only for the fight to resume — after Topuria had received an extra minute to recover due to the assessment.
“None of this is good!” the broadcast team said.
Topuria avoided a knockout in the fourth round and had gone to his corner when the fight was ended.
