Fighters Weigh In for White House UFC Freedom 250 Matches

WASHINGTON—Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) organizers hosted a ceremonial weigh-in Saturday in Washington in preparation for the mixed martial arts fights scheduled for June 14 on the South Lawn of the White House.

Dana White, UFC president and CEO, oversaw the programming, while podcaster and long-time UFC commentator Joe Rogan emceed the event.

White hoisted one of the red, white, and blue patriotic themed belts created for the two title fights, adorned with “1776–2026,” 250 stars, approximately 60 carats of diamonds, and an engraving of the scene at the White House.

Thousands of fans crowded the Ellipse near the Executive Mansion to witness the festivities.

Military skydivers performed aerial stunts to kick iff the evening, flying a huge American flag down to the crowd before a bald eagle soared over the audience.

The 14 fighters were officially weighed in earlier in the morning, and all the competitors made their respective weight to qualify for the seven-match card.

UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria and interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje both came in at 155 pounds ahead of their fight in the main event on Sunday, a lightweight title unification match.

The co-main event, an interim heavyweight title bout, will feature 251-pound Alex Pereira against 248-pound Ciryl Gane.

Sean O’Malley weighed in at 135.5 pounds, and Aiemann Zahabi came in at 135 pounds ahead of their bantamweight match.

Heavyweights Josh Hokit and Derrick Lewis will fight at 231 pounds and 265 pounds, respectively.

Mauricio Ruffy weighed 155 pounds, and Michael Chandler totaled 156 pounds, before the two go head-to-head in a lightweight match.

Middleweights Bo Nickal and Kyle Daukaus will fight at 186 pounds apiece, while featherweights Diego Lopes and Steve Garcia both weighed in at 146 pounds.

Tensions ran high as the athletes faced off in front of the crowd.

Similar antics were on display June 12 during the pre-fight press conference at the Lincoln Memorial.

Fan fest activities over the weekend included live entertainment with UFC competitors, immersive experiences, meet-and-greet opportunities, and live music.

Officials with the UFC promoted the fights as the “most historic sporting event of all time,” with festivities coinciding with the nation’s semiquincentennial anniversary of founders signing the Declaration of Independence.

“UFC Freedom 250 commemorates the 250th birthday of the United States with a once-in-a-generation celebration of the American fighting spirit,” the organization said in a statement. “From the revolution to the octagon, this historic event will connect fans through cinematic storytelling and unrivaled competition on the world’s greatest proving ground.”

The event also falls on President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday. Trump was not in attendance for the weigh-in ceremony but is expected to attend the fights.

Seating is limited in the specially constructed octagon arena about 90 feet tall, with overflow capacity on the Ellipse for up to 100,000 spectators set up in a watch party atmosphere with massive video screens.