With Trump in Front Row, UFC Delivers Night of Knockouts at White House
The best of America was on display Sunday.
Are you not entertained?
Ultimate Fighting Championship Freedom 250 was not without its detractors: Two Virginians sued to try to stop fight night from even happening on the White House lawn.
UFC Freedom 250 was not without its struggles, as rain delays presented a hitch at the event’s start.
But once the bouts started, the best of America was on display. Every fight on the card ended in a knockout.
President Trump was front row for the festivities on his 80th birthday. It was a scene that conjured up the gladiator fights of Roman times, when the emperor would watch from the best seat in the Colosseum.
Nobody fought to the death Sunday night. We are too humane and evolved for such things. But every man who lost was pushed to his limit, saved from a greater beating by either the referees or his corner. Not one of the seven bouts went to the judge’s scorecard.
The fight of the night saw America’s Justin Gaethje vanquish lightweight champion Ilia Topuria of Spain. “El Matador” was a perfect 17-0 before UFC Freedom 250. The one blemish on his record came with the leader of the free world watching, just feet away. Mr. Topuria’s corner stopped the fight between the fourth and fifth round.
ESPN declared the Gaethje-Topuria battle a contender for Fight of the Year.
June 14 was also Flag Day. To fit the patriotic theme, every fighter wore red, white, and blue trunks and gloves — even the fighters from Brazil, who often wear yellow shorts in honor of their homeland.
Not everything went Mr. Trump’s way Sunday night. The president requested that “Black Beast” Derrick Lewis be placed on the fight card, announcers said. But Mr. Lewis gassed out quickly and was knocked out in the second round.
His opponent, fellow American Josh Hokit, used his post-fight interview to take a swipe at the Obamas, Mr. Trump’s longtime rivals. “Michelle Obama is a man!” he said to Joe Rogan.
Fight night was only missing one thing: Jon Jones, who many consider the greatest mixed martial artist of all time. While fans and fellow fighters see Mr. Jones at the GOAT, UFC management, including CEO Dana White, see him as unreliable.
Mr. Jones has pulled out or been ruled out of multiple fights over the years. With a chance to put the UFC on the global stage, with the whole world watching the White House South Lawn, Mr. White deemed it too risky to book Jon Jones against Alex Pereira, interim heavyweight champ.
Mr. Jones and Mr. Pereira had both lobbied publicly to be booked against each other, but Mr. White wouldn’t budge. Instead, Mr. Pereira, a Brazilian, was booked against Ciryl Gane, a Frenchman Mr. Jones beat easily in March 2023.
Mr. Gane dominated Mr. Pereira, leaving fans to consider how commanding Mr. Jones might have been if he had gotten the opportunity.
Mr. Jones didn’t need words to make his feelings known on Instagram. Wearing a robe, a gold necklace, and a diamond-studded goat-head charm, Jones looked to the camera, then away, not even needing to say, “I told you so.”
“How great does Jon f--king Jones look right now?” commented Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Gordon Ryan with a goat emoji.
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