On a historic night at the footsteps of the White House, Justin Gaethje pulled off the ultimate American upset.
Despite being cast as a more than 6-to-1 underdog, and despite being roundly dismissed as a lamb led to slaughter on the biggest stage in UFC history, Gaethje did the unthinkable, brutally stopping Ilia Topuria to capture the lightweight title Sunday on the South Lawn in the main event of UFC Freedom 250 in Washington.
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Gaethje’s feat, considering the circumstances, is among the biggest upsets in UFC history. After a career littered with wars of attrition, the 37-year-old American was widely believed to be past his peak in January heading into an interim title bout against Paddy Pimblett. But Gaethje shined in that moment, and then did so in an even louder way Sunday, upsetting one of the top-ranked pound-for-pound fighters in the sport.
After a brutal back-and-forth battle that left Topuria’s face bloodied and badly swollen, the now-former champ’s corner called an end to the contest between Rounds 4 and 5.
“Hey, I’m from America. Two hundred and fifty years ago we were way bigger than 6-to-1 dogs, and look at us thriving now,” an elated Gaethje shouted in victory.
“I know that was absolutely legendary, because I cannot believe it. Wow.”
As the most high-profile American on a card designed to ostensibly celebrate the 250th birthday of the country, Gaethje (28-5) carried a star-spangled weight on his shoulders heading into Sunday night. But within the bout’s opening minutes, it was clear he had a game plan that could potentially topple one of the sport’s most dangerous talents.
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Gaethje consistently found an early home with his stiff jabs and hammering uppercuts, bloodying Topuria’s face in the opening round while keeping his Georgian-Spanish rival guessing with sporadic feints of takedown attempts. Yet Topuria (17-1) rallied back in Round 2, dropping Gaethje with a series of thunderous body shots that appeared to put the American challenger on the precipice of the end.
Topuria might’ve had it right there and then, however he opted to follow Gaethje to the ground, take mount position and work for several unsuccessful submission attempts, ultimately allowing Gaethje to recover and ride out the round.
After collecting himself with a light-hearted moment on the stool, Gaethje stormed out for Round 3 like a man reborn, dropping Topuria with a monstrous combination and then repeatedly hurting Topuria again as the champ desperately tried to survive.
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By the end of the frame, Topuria’s face was barely recognizable, and the fight appeared to nearly end there, as doctors spent an extra minute examining him between rounds.
After much debate, the fight was allowed to continue into Round 4, and both men came out of their corners throwing everything they had at one another. Yet it was Gaethje who repeatedly came out on top in their exchanges, connecting with thudding right hands, more uppercuts, and several big knees to the head and body, leaving Topuria sporting a full crimson mask by the end of the five-minute sprint.
Moments later, the bout was over — waved off by Topuria’s corner.
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“I owed him that, because he hurt me in my liver so bad,” Gaethje said of his own vicious offense.
“I knew I was going to have to get through the first round. His skills are unmatched when he’s fresh and I’m fresh, but my durability, my tenacity and my heart will carry me through those first couple rounds, and nobody can outwork me in Round 3, and especially the championship rounds.”
“I told myself I was going to lose,” Gaethje added. “I told myself I was going to get embarrassed, so I can go to my most primal place and dig deep. And I had to — that guy had me in trouble. He had me rocked and he rocked my chin, smoked my liver, and I stuck in it.”
And with that, Gaethje penned not only the most unlikely of late-career chapters, but also one of the greatest results for an American fighter in MMA history.
Check out complete UFC Freedom 250 results and highlights below, as well as Uncrowned’s live blog of the entire card.
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Fight card
Lightweight championship: Justin Gaethje def. Ilia Topuria via TKO (corner stoppage) at 5:00 of R4
Bantamweight: Sean O’Malley def. Aiemann Zahabi via KO (punches) at 4:02 of R2 | Watch finish
Heavyweight: Josh Hokit def. Derrick Lewis via TKO (punches) at 4:09 of R2 | Watch finish
Lightweight: Mauricio Ruffy def. Michael Chandler via TKO (strikes) at 4:29 of R1 | Watch finish
Middleweight: Bo Nickal def. Kyle Daukaus via TKO (punches) at 4:34 of R1 | Watch finish
Featherweight: Diego Lopes def. Steve Garcia via TKO (punches) at 2:42 of R2 | Watch finish
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Drake Riggs
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 15: U.S. President Donald Trump and UFC President and CEO Dana White during UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House on June 15, 2026 in Washington, DC. President Trump is hosting a series of Ultimate Fighting Championship matches today, his 80th birthday, which the White House is calling “a once-in-a-generation celebration of the American fighting spirit.” (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
(Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images)
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Drake Riggs
Aleksandre Topuria (R) assists his brother, Georgia’s Ilia Topuria (C), as they leave after losing the lightweight title bout against US fighter Justin Gaethje during the “UFC Freedom 250” mixed martial arts event on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, early morning on June 15, 2026. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images)
(BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI via Getty Images)
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Drake Riggs
With that win, Justin Gaethje becomes the first champion to beat an undisputed champion at lightweight since Conor McGregor and Eddie Alvarez in 2016. It also puts Gaethje at No. 3 all-time on the lightweight knockout list in UFC.
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Drake Riggs
After a near doctor’s stoppage, they get right into the clinch to trade uppercuts. Topuria is busted UP. They trade big hooks! A clinch engagement leads to a quick throw from Gaethje, and they move to the cage. Topuria launches more body shots! Gaethje jabs. They each land. Another jab trade occurs, then a Gaethje uppercut. An overhand exchange is shared. Gaethje chops with a low kick. A short uppercut from Gaethje lands while he eats a tight right hand. This is mostly a wild boxing match. And then Gaethje kicks upstairs to circle away from the cage. Topuria’s overhand right finds a home. A nasty uppcercut hurts Topuria! His face is absolutely jacked up. He punches to the body. This is going to end between rounds. He is a mess. An overhand right lands again for Topuria. He knees in the clinch. Gaethje gets taken down with a hip toss right into the mount. Gaethje takes elbows from mount! Gaethje circles to his back and explodes out! Topuria rips the body on the break. Gaethje looks at the clock before Topuria goes for a takedown and gets sprawled on. A huge knee to the body crushes Topuria on the ground! Wow. That hurt him late. Massive shot to close the round. And it’s waved off between rounds! Gaethje has done it!
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Drake Riggs
Gaethje engages in the clinch as soon as the round starts. No damage connects for either. The pace slows early. Topuria counters a leg kick with a right straight. Gaethje gets back to his jab. He paws out another. That jab keeps finding its mark. A huge one-two hurts Topuria! Gaethje goes for a d’arce choke! Topuria is belly down to defend! Wow! Gaethje starts punching! Topuria recovers to his feet. He is battered, man. The dude is leaking. Gaethje fires off another pair of punches and works the jab. The one-two lands nicely again for Gaethje! They clinch. Gaethje tosses a right over the top on the break. A big uppercut for Gaethje! Topuria lands one back. Nice knee to the gut from Topuria, then an uppercut. Gaethje eats a big right and lands one back! Then another! Topuria circles away, but he’s hurting badly. Gaethje launches a jumping knee into a clinch against the cage! A knee lands to the chest from the challenger as they jockey for position in the final seconds. A head kick sneaks through in the final second for Gaethje. What a fight.
10-9 Gaethje. (29-28 Gaethje.)
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Topuria jabs to the body before taking a right hand. He lands the jab up high, and chops with a low kick. Topuria jabs to the body. He lands one upstairs, and they share a brief exchange in tight. Topuria goes back to jabbing. Gaethje teases the single leg for another uppercut. Stiff Topuria jab gets through, as they near the cage. A slapping right overhand connects for the challenger. Stiff jab from Topuria! He starts ripping big hooks! Gaethje is on the back foot against the cage. Nasty body work from Topuria! Gaethje is getting swarmed! He uppercuts to back up Topuria. Topuria lands one back! He starts really ripping the body again. Nonstop! Gaethje crumples! Topuria gets on top in half guard. He goes to mount! He rolls to his side. Topuria teases an armbar and lands more punches! Topuria is setting up a triangle choke! He switches to an armbar. And lets go! He’s in side control before mount again. He’s gliding atop the challenger. Topuria goes knee on belly. They seem to be recovering a bit here at the end of the round. Big round for the champion.
10-9 Topuria. (19-19.)
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Drake Riggs
Gaethje jabs hard immediately. His patented leg kicks follow. Topuria walks him down and takes more jabs before leg kicking back. Gaethje teases a takedown to land an uppercut and more jabs. That strike is money so far. A hard leg kick outside lands for Topuria. Topuria runs into a straight shot but lands immediately after. They trade briefly. Topuria counters Gaethje’s jab with a great straight right over the top. Gaethje gets back to teasing takedowns. Gaethje’s jab has bloodied Topuria. The right straight is landing like a missile to Gaethje. Topuria takes a tight right-hand. Topuria jabs to the body. A sneaky uppercut lands for Gaethje. He gets nailed with another overhand right. Topuria lands the hard jab. Gaethje fires back. A nice right over the top lands for Gaethje! Topuria seeks the jab. Another Gaethje right hand lands. Then another! He grazes with a head kick! A nasty right fires back from the champ. They exchange uppercuts in tight! Topuria lands again! They trade big hooks! Topuria cracks him! This is wild. Topuria keeps stalking. They’re brawling! Topuria starts winging tight hooks in the pocket on the cage! Wild, wild round. Very close.
10-9 Gaethje.
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Drake Riggs
America’s mixed martial artist Justin Gaethje walks through the Grand Foyer of the White House before his lightweight title bout with Georgia-Spain’s mixed martial artist Ilia Topuria, during UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House, in Washington, DC, on June 15, 2026. (Photo by Jacquelyn Martin / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
(JACQUELYN MARTIN via Getty Images)
Georgia’s Ilia Topuria walks through the Cross Hall of the White House on his way to his lightweight title bout against America’s Justin Gaethje during the “UFC Freedom 250” mixed martial arts event on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, in the early morning hours of June 15, 2026. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
(SAUL LOEB via Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 14: Justin Gaethje walks to the Octagon during the UFC Freedom 250 event on the South Lawn at the White House on June 14, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)
(Josh Hedges via Getty Images)
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Drake Riggs
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Drake Riggs
