President Donald Trump emerged from the Oval Office first, then fighters from around the globe followed straight into the fight cage.
Justin Gaethje talks to U.S. President Donald Trump after defeating Ilia Topuria in a lightweight title bout during UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House on June 15, 2026 in Washington, DC.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump emerged from the Oval Office first, then fighters from around the globe followed straight into the fight cage, in part for the president's 80th birthday celebration and to bring a sport long on the fringe of mainstream acceptance into a main event on the White House South Lawn. Justin Gaethje battered Spanish-Georgian lightweight champion Ilia Topuria for the UFC lightweight title.
In the night's other championship fight, Ciryl Gane beat Alex Pereira to take home the interim UFC heavyweight title. The rest of the event saw knockouts by Diego Lopes against Steve Garcia; Bo Nickal against Kyle Daukaus; Mauricio Ruffy against Michael Chandler; Josh Hokit against Derrick Lewis; and Sean O'Malley against Aiemann Zahabi.
For a president who revels in winners, Trump had to enjoy crowning two champions on a big fight night staged closer to the Rose Garden than Madison Square Garden in the co-main event of UFC Freedom 250. American lightweight Justin Gaethje capped his unification championship victory in the main event over Ilia Topuria with a backflip off the top of the cage.
He crouched near Trump for a celebratory chat and the betting underdog draped the American flag over one shoulder — and the 155-pound title belt over another. Trump later stepped into the cage to congratulate Gaethje.
"Hey, I'm from America, 250 years ago we were way more than 6-1 underdogs," Gaethje said. "I know that was absolutely legendary because I can not even believe it. " Topuria and Gaethje made their walkouts from the Oval Office as fireworks exploded overhead during Michael Buffer's introductions. Gaethje — who appeared to skim the copy of the Declaration of Independence on his way out — mustered some scattered "USA!
" chants against the Spanish-Georgian Topuria, though not even the main event could stop the trend of mostly quiet fights. It took the gory sight of a bloodied Topuria — his back to Trump in a white "USA" hat as he peered through the wire-mesh cage — nearly having the fight waved off to get a "let them fight!
" chant going. The fight continued, and the 37-year-old Gaethje won eventually via corner stoppage in the fourth round. Earlier, Ciryl Gane hammered Alex Pereira with a series of elbows and fists to the head and won via TKO in 1:27 of the second round to claim the interim heavyweight belt for a second time and set up a rematch with heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall.
The White House was a most improbable all-American setting for a fight promotion that long ago shed the "human cockfighting" tag and decades later became entwined with the emboldened right-wing " manosphere " that soaks up UFC fights and threw its support behind Trump in two elections. Trump and UFC boss Dana White, the tempestuous tag-team that rallied the fight company to the nation's capital, walked from the Oval Office to the Blue Room Balcony to chants of "USA! USA!
" to kick off the fight card jacked up by a dose of high-octane patriotism on a blustery night for cage fighting. President Donald Trump confirmed a deal to end the war with Iran and allow oil traffic to begin again through the Strait of Hormuz.
The announcement on social media came just a couple of hours before the president celebrated his 80th birthday and the nation's 250th anniversary with an unusual White House event: a UFC show featuring seven fights within an eight-sided, wire-mesh cage on the White House South Lawn. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham is a close ally of Trump and an Iran hawk.
He expressed skepticism about the emerging deal, saying that Congress would need to review and vote on it, and said he expects Vice President JD Vance — "the architect of the deal" — to present it.
"I am somewhat concerned that Iran's view of the agreement seems different than what the American negotiating team is claiming," Graham said on social media. Even with a deal in place, it will take months for oil and gas supplies to be flowing freely enough for the world's needs to be met, because shipping and insurance companies will want to be confident the agreement will last, energy experts said.
And countries in the Middle East who paused production may have a long road ahead to restart those oil fields. Vice President JD Vance in an interview with Fox News said the White House was still figuring out the logistics of who will attend Friday's signing ceremony in Switzerland. He said the deal could have a transformative impact on the Middle East.
"This region of the world has been a basket case for my entire life, and longer than that," Vance said, explaining the deal could "eliminate the nuclear threat of Iran" as well as build prosperity. Josh Hokit, after knocking out Derrick Lewis, thanked Trump, and "my lord and savior Jesus Christ" before veering into an unfounded right-wing conspiracy theory about a former first lady: "Michelle Obama is a man. Am I right, America?
"UFC ramped up the patriotism for White House debut The Marine Band jazzed up the festivities and played fighter entrance music in front of the White House and Zac Brown sang the national anthem — never performed before normal UFC fight cards because of the mix of nationalities fighting inside the Octagon. The Navy's Blue Angels and Air Force Thunderbirds zipped overhead as part of a flyover to celebrate Trump's birthday and the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence's signing.
The 4,000-plus fans — Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison among them — on the South Lawn who sat under the claw, the flying saucer-like, open-air structure that housed the cage, mostly sat on their hands until the fighters used theirs to deliver punishing blows and a true fighting spirit that got everyone on their feet. Bo Nickal delivered the red, white and boom when the three-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion at Penn State earned the TKO win over middleweight Kyle Daukaus and immediately bolted the Octagon for a cage-side chat with Trump.
Nickal met Trump in 2019 during a ceremony at the White House for collegiate national champions. The first blight of the night for Trump came when American heavyweight Derrick Lewis lost his fight after he got a personal invitation from the president. Trump proclaimed himself a fan of Lewis and his unconventional celebrations and asked White to add him to the card. Josh Hokit instead improved to 10-0 when he flattened Lewis by TKO.
Sean O'Malley celebrated his walk-off KO win with a salute, and Mauricio Ruffy and Diego Lopes won their fights earlier in the night.
"That was sexy," O'Malley said to cheers. "I felt the energy in here. I truly felt the energy in here.
"More than $60 million and tens of thousands of hours of labor were poured into building the arena, according to a court filing from the National Park Service, which oversees the South Lawn, and the looming threat of rain that threw White into a tizzy each time a miserable forecast was raised never materialized over the early portions of the card. Fight night came only hours after the United States and Iran reached an agreement to end the war and open the Strait of Hormuz, offering relief to the global economy more than three months after the war began.
The rare UFC outdoors event marked the pinnacle of the relationship between White and Trump that has yielded personal, political and financial dividends for both parties. White's first card as UFC president came in 2001 at an event held at Trump Taj Mahal. Trump has attended four UFC cards as sitting president, walking to the cage amid rock music and patriotic chants from fans. White introduced Trump at two Republican National Conventions.
Trump got a home game for this one, making the short walk from the Oval Office to the Octagon, much like the fighters who made the walk down West Wing halls covered with presidential portraits and were flanked by first responders and medal of honor recipients, among other individuals who served. Thousands more outside the White House lawn watched the fights on big screens from the nearby Ellipse, though not everyone was able to get tickets.
UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland was escorted out of the Ellipse event by a group of police officers. U.S. Park Police said in a statement that Strickland's presence drew enough attention from attendees that it resulted in disorder. He wasn't cited or arrested, they said. Instead, he was taken to his hotel and told not to come back to the venue.
The broadcast of fight night has taken viewers on a bit of a tour of the White House, with fighters warming up in different storied rooms. For the final bout, Ilia Topuria prepared in the Roosevelt Room, while Justin Gaethje warmed up in the Cabinet Room. Each of them passed through the Oval Office before winding their way to the Octagon — with Gaethje appearing to briefly read the copy of the Declaration of Independence that Trump has added.
Ciryl Gane of France finished off Alex Pereira of Brazil in the second round to win the interim UFC heavyweight title. Gane sent Pereira stumbling with a right jab followed by a hammer fist. The referee then stopped the fight 1:27 into the second round after a left to the chin.
Sean O'Malley knocked out Aiemann Zahabi in the second round of a bantamweight fightJosh Hokit knocks out Derrick LewisHokit was in control from the start and finished off Lewis with a combination round that sent him to the mat. The fight was called off by TKO 4:09 into the second round. Hokit spent time on the practice squad of the NFL's San Francisco 49ers after competing in football and wrestling in college at Fresno State.
Brazilian Mauricio Ruffy knocked out American Michael Chandler in the first round of a middleweight fight. President Donald Trump pumped his first in approval after the knockout from his ringside seat. Bo Nickal knocked out Kyle Daukaus in the first round in a middleweight fight. Nickal knocked Daukaus down with a right hook, and the referee quickly stopped the second fight of the event 4:34 into the opening round.
Nickal went right over to Trump after the win and talked briefly with the president. Nickal, a three-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion at Penn State, has forged a friendly relationship with Trump after they met in 2019 at the White House during a ceremony for collegiate national champions. Lopes connected with a left hook that knocked Garcia down and then finished him off before the referee stopped the fight.
Bexar County deputies raided a Hyatt Resort Drive home after a tip, arresting Danielle Gill and seizing 12.7 lbs of marijuana, THC wax and vapes, an AR-15, a Glock, and $492K cash. Sheriff cites vape-linked violence. Flash Flood Warnings until 9 a.m. for parts of South Texas after 2 to 4 inches of rain. Flood Watch through Tuesday as tropical moisture fuels more storms, with 1 inch per hour rates near the Hill Country.
Deadly wrong-way crash shuts down Southwest Loop 410 near Military Dr. in San Antonio. Two vehicles collided around 5:30 a.m., burst into flames, and all occupants were pronounced dead at the scene. Texas community mourns Carlos and Jenn Mugica of Castle Hills, killed together in an I-10 crash near Flatonia. Cause still under investigation as tributes pour in for the couple known for years of local giving.
SAN ANTONIO — Police are responding to a reported shooting on the city’s South Side. Authorities responded around 9:30 p.m. to South Flores Street and East Mayfi
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