Let’s just call a spade a spade, whoever wrote the script for UFC’s Freedom 250 card at the White House on Sunday had the Midas Touch.
In what will go down as mixed martial arts’ “Miracle On Ice”, 38-year-old Safford, Arizona native Justin Gaethje shocked the UFC’s top-ranked pound for pound fighter and 6-to-1 favorite, Ilia Topuria, to earn the lightweight title and finally become an undisputed champion for the first time in his long and storied career.
"Coming from such a small town, I can't tell you how blessed I am to have made it this far," Gaethje said. "To have represented my small town as well as I have. Now I get to represent my country as a whole, and I think I did a pretty good job tonight ... I said before it's going to be like some miracle on ice stuff. I'm so happy to put my country in such a good light. I am from the middle of nowhere here in southeast Arizona."
It was a definitive performance for Gaethje, who dismantled Topuria to a shocking degree and left his face looking essentially unrecognizable. The fight was nearly ended via doctor stoppage between the third and fourth rounds, but the doctor appeared to overturn his initial decision to call the fight after being pressured by an animated Topuria. After Gaethje unloaded a vicious knee to Topuria’s ribcage at the end of the fourth, Topuria retired to his bench and his corner threw in the towel despite his brother’s insistence that he finish the fight.
Despite the fact that he was hurt and in trouble for most of the fight, Topuria spent much of the fight advancing on Gaethje and you could have even made the case the he won the second and fourth rounds and that the fight was 2-2 when Topuria’s corner decided to call off the fight. I don’t know if I’d personally make that case, but those rounds were close enough where it would not have been a surprise to see a judge score them both for Topuria. Regardless, it didn’t matter in the end.
Gaethje has long been considered the quintessential American UFC fighter, so the fact that he pulled off what may well be the biggest upset in UFC history at the biggest event in UFC history is already beyond belief. For him to win his first undisputed title at the twilight of his career on that stage is a moment that feels closer to a delusional fever dream than reality, but it very much is.
“Seeing all the portraits of many great Presidents we’ve had in the past, that was incredible,” Gaethje said. “That part I remember. Usually I kind of blank out when I’m getting ready to walk to the cage. I was in a holding room and there were more portraits of amazing men of the past. I was like, I have to dig deep and represent these people. I have to do it.”
Aside from the main event providing a defining moment for the sport, the card was historic in its own right. All seven fights ended by KO/TKO, which was the first time in UFC history that an entire fight card was filled with such finishes. Not to mention, six of those fights ended inside the first two rounds. For an event that could have easily turned into a punchline with ill-timed rain or an underwhelming card, it could not have gone better. I’m not even somebody who was a huge fan of the idea of this spectacle to begin with, quite the opposite actually, but the objective truth is that tonight will be looked at – and should be looked at as an overwhelming success.
The co-main event saw Cyril Gane put a halt to Alex Pereira’s quest to become the UFC’s first three division champion, as Gane hurt Pereira with a jab and eventually finished him a few moments later after Pereira was never really able to regain his bearings. Gane’s victory likely sets up a rematch with Tom Aspinall, after their first bout ended in a no contest after Gane gouged Aspinall’s eyes and forced him into an extended recovery that’s still ongoing.
“Suga” Sean O’Malley also rose to the occasion, finishing Aiemann Zahabi with a walk-off knockout in the second round that re-affirms O’Malley as a bantamweight title contender and likely puts him in line with another fight against current champion Petr Yan for the belt, who O’Malley has already beaten once before. In the fight before that, rising heavyweight star Josh Hokit continued his rise up the ranks of the division by knocking out future Hall of Famer Derrick Lewis in the second round after a dominant effort.