UFC Freedom 250 takes place on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington DC on Monday the 15th of June (SA time) with a lightweight title fight headlining the historic card as Ilia Topuria defends his championship against former interim titleholder Justin Gaethje. We cover the Main Event as well as two additional fights on the Main Card from a betting angle below.
Click here to bet on the full fight card.
ILIA TOPURIA vs JUSTIN GAETHJE
Lightweight – Main Event – Title Fight:
Ilia Topuria enters this headline clash holding a UFC record of 9 wins without a defeat. The reigning champion has rapidly established himself as one of the most dangerous fighters in the sport with elite boxing, devastating power and a well-rounded grappling game that has allowed him to remain unbeaten throughout his career.
He heads into this matchup after capturing the lightweight title with a first-round knockout victory over Charles Oliveira in June 2025. Prior to that he produced another spectacular finish against Max Holloway after previously dethroning Alexander Volkanovski to claim featherweight gold.
Justin Gaethje arrives in Washington with a tally of 9 wins and 5 losses under the promotion. The veteran contender remains one of the most entertaining fighters on the roster thanks to his relentless pressure, elite striking and willingness to engage in high paced battles against the division’s best opposition.
He most recently secured a unanimous decision victory over Paddy Pimblett in January 2026 after previously defeating Rafael Fiziev by unanimous decision. Before those successes he suffered a dramatic knockout defeat to Max Holloway at UFC 300 in the final second of the fight but has otherwise continued to compete at the highest level at lightweight.
BETTING – click here to bet
Topuria 1.16
Gaethje 5.50
PREDICTION:
Gaethje possesses the experience advantage and carries genuine knockout power, however Topuria has looked virtually flawless against tough opposition over the last three years. The champion is the cleaner striker, owns the speed advantage and has multiple paths to victory. I am expecting Topuria to eventually find the decisive shot and retain his title by knockout after Gaethje has weathered the early rounds.
ALEX PEREIRA vs CIRYL GANE
Heavyweight – Interim Title Fight:
Alex Pereira makes his step up to heavyweight holding a resume of 10 wins and 2 losses inside the institution. The Brazilian striker has already established himself as one of the most feared knockout artists in UFC history with his devastating left hook and remarkable finishing ability.
His latest appearance resulted in a first-round knockout victory over Magomed Ankalaev in October 2025 to reclaim the light heavyweight belt. Prior to that he suffered a decision loss to Ankalaev but had previously recorded dominant title victories over Khalil Rountree Jr, Jiří Procházka and Jamahal Hill.
Ciryl Gane possesses a UFC record of 10 wins, 2 losses and 1 no contest. The French contender remains one of the most technically gifted heavyweights on the roster with excellent footwork, movement and striking versatility that separates him from many competitors in the division.
Gane’s most recent outing ended in a no contest due to eye poke against Tom Aspinall in October 2025 after previously edging Alexander Volkov via split decision. Earlier victories over Serghei Spivac and Tai Tuivasa demonstrated his ability to compete with the elite names in the ranks.
BETTING – click here to bet
Pereira 1.93
Gane 1.93
PREDICTION:
Gane is likely to enjoy success during portions of the fight due to his movement and technical striking but Pereira’s power remains the ultimate equaliser. Over five rounds it only takes one clean connection from the Brazilian and I believe he eventually lands a fight ending shot to become heavyweight champion.
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SEAN O’MALLEY vs AIEMANN ZAHABI
Bantamweight – Main Card Bout:
Sean O’Malley currently possesses a UFC record of 10 wins, 3 losses and 1 no contest. The former bantamweight champion remains one of the division’s most dangerous strikers thanks to his precision, creativity and ability to finish opponents from range.
His latest matchup action is made up of a unanimous decision victory over Song Yadong in January 2026 but before that he suffered consecutive defeats against Merab Dvalishvili in championship bouts.
Aiemann Zahabi arrives with a tally of 8 wins and 2 losses under the organisation and he has quietly put together one of the strongest winning streaks in the division while showing significant improvements in both his striking and overall fight management.
He most recently edged Marlon Vera by split decision after earlier unanimous decision victories over José Aldo, Pedro Munhoz and Javid Basharat. Notably Zahabi has now won seven UFC appearances without a loss.
BETTING – click here to bet
O’Malley 1.23
Zahabi 4.25
PREDICTION:
Zahabi deserves plenty of respect for his recent run of form but O’Malley has consistently performed against a much higher level of opposition. His striking accuracy, speed and ability to manage distance should allow him to control the contest and earn a clear decision victory.
SUGGESTED BETS:
Topuria vs Gaethje
Ilia Topuria by KO/TKO at 1.50
Pereira vs Gane
Alex Pereira by KO/TKO at 2.60
O’Malley vs Zahabi
Sean O’Malley by Decision at 2.05
The TREBLE of all 3 of my bets landing works out to 7/1 and you can use this code to follow 7312486
Note: All prices are correct at the time of writing but subject to change.
