Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje are ready to party for their historic White House showdown.
The two lightweight headliners took to the stage Saturday evening for the UFC Freedom 250 ceremonial weigh-ins in front of a massive crowd at The Ellipse in Washington, across the street from where the UFC will stage fights on the White House’s South Lawn on Sunday night in celebration of U.S. President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday. Topuria and Gaethje, in addition to the other 12 fighters on the UFC Freedom 250 card, squared off for their final faceoffs and made their final pre-fight remarks on a theatrical show that featured parachuters, fireworks displays and an array of patriotic pageantry.
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After a pre-fight build-up turned personal, including an exchange Friday in which Topuria shoved Gaethje after the event’s pre-fight press conference, both men kept their last staredown professional.
“Since I was a little kid, I always heard this little [thing] called the American dream, and I never really understood the meaning of that word. But tomorrow night, we are going to live the American dream,” Topuria said. “I’m going to get another victory, 18-0. I’m going to get that victory with [impressive] fashion. See you tomorrow night, guys, let’s go.”
Topuria, the reigning UFC lightweight champion, and Gaethje, the interim champion, both successfully made weight Saturday morning for their lightweight title unification, which headlines Sunday’s card. Topuria, 29, and Gaethje, 37, each tipped the scales at 155 pounds, clearing the final hurdle before their historic five-round meeting.
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“I was absolutely made for this s*** right here,” Gaethje said. “I am blessed to be in this position that I am, and I will take his ‘O’ from him tomorrow night. You watch.”
Co-headliners Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane also shared a tense final faceoff ahead of their interim heavyweight championship clash.
A former middleweight and light heavyweight champion, Pereira (251 pounds) surprisingly outweighed Ciryl Gane (248 pounds) at Saturday’s morning weigh-ins. If Pereira emerges victorious on Sunday, he will become the first three-division champion in UFC history.
“I feel great. I want to thank everyone who came out here tonight,” Pereira said. “It’s a special day, and tomorrow’s going to be a great fight.”
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“I’m really happy to be fighting, but also I’m really happy to be fighting Alex Pereira,” Gane said. “It’s always a pleasure to have fresh blood [in the division]. This is a great champion.”
UFC Freedom 250 is set to kick off Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on Paramount+ with a seven-fight card, which also features the return of former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley against rising contender Aiemann Zahabi, plus more.
Complete UFC Freedom weigh-in results:
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Lightweight championship: Ilia Topuira (155) vs. Justin Gaethje (155)
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Interim heavyweight championship: Alex Pereira (251) vs. Ciryl Gane (248)
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Bantamweight: Sean O’Malley (135.5) vs. Aiemann Zahabi (135)
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Heavyweight: Josh Hokit (231) vs. Derrick Lewis (265)
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Lightweight: Mauricio Ruffy (155) vs. Michael Chandler (156)
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Middleweight: Bo Nickal (186) vs. Kyle Daukaus (186)
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Featherweight: Diego Lopes (146)* vs. Steve Garcia (146)
*Lopes weighed in for a second time at 154 pounds as the main-event backup fighter.