Rating all seven fights on the UFC White Home occasion

The UFC will placed on one in every of its most anticipated struggle playing cards of the yr this week, because the promotion hosts an occasion on the White Home’s South Garden on Sunday night time.

In the principle occasion, Ilia Topuria, ESPN’s No. 2-ranked pound-for-pound fighter, will put the light-weight title on the road in opposition to Justin Gaethje, who beat Paddy Pimblett by unanimous choice to earn an interim title and a shot at Topuria. “El Matador” enters the struggle with an unbeaten 17-0 file and has knocked out every of the UFC all-timers he has confronted in his previous three outings (Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira, respectively).

Regardless of Topuria’s spectacular run and the title stakes in his matchup in opposition to Gaethje, their struggle may not be essentially the most anticipated bout on the cardboard. Right here is ESPN’s rating of the seven UFC Freedom 250 fights, as voted on by a panel of specialists together with Carlos Contreras Legaspi, Andrew Davis, Andreas Hale, Brett Okamoto and Jeff Wagenheim. The rating is predicated on model matchups, pedigree, stakes, potential storylines, prefight hype and potential for jaw-dropping moments.

7. Diego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia, featherweight

The job of the fighters filling the primary slot on the primary struggle card on the White Home may be very easy: Begin this factor off with a bang. Set the tone for the remainder of the night time. Lopes and Garcia had been chosen for this actual spot due to how they struggle. There are numerous divisional implications to this matchup as nicely, and we will speak about these later. For now, all it’s essential know is that this struggle was constructed to be a fireworks present. — Okamoto

6. Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus, middleweight

If there’s an American sports activities hero on the White Home card, Nickal is the man. He is a three-time NCAA Division I wrestling nationwide champion, and although he has simply 9 MMA fights underneath his belt, the UFC continues to problem him to see if it has a future champion on its palms. After struggling his solely profession loss a yr in the past, Nickal bounced again spectacularly with a head-kick knockout in November. Now he faces the resilient Daukaus, who’s 2-0 with two finishes in his second UFC run. Daukaus’ well-rounded talent set ought to take a look at how a lot Nickal’s sport has grown. — Wagenheim

5. Sean O’Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi, males’s bantamweight

There was a time, not so way back, when a “Suga Sean” look would high most any listing of extremely anticipated fights. Even now, the UFC is billing O’Malley just under the 2 title bouts on this historic struggle card. And but the previous champion, with one struggle thus far this yr and one in 2025, appears to have light out of the highlight a bit, which isn’t straightforward to do with that kaleidoscopic hairdo of his. O’Malley has misplaced two of his previous three bouts, however the defeats had been in opposition to his successor as champ, Merab Dvalishvili. He is nonetheless a participant within the 135-pound division. To stay that manner, he’ll have to deal with a red-hot opponent. Zahabi has received seven straight fights, however he is ranked decrease than O’Malley, so this can be a no-excuses take a look at. — Wagenheim

4. Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler, light-weight

Ruffy is a bully contained in the Octagon. Actually any struggle he is concerned in carries primary occasion potential at this level. He suffered a submission loss to Benoît Saint Denis final September, however that appears extra like a short lived setback than an announcement on his future potential. This may very well be his true coming-out social gathering, contemplating he is combating a seasoned veteran within the historic setting. Chandler is 40 years previous, and we do not know what number of fights he has left, however he campaigned laborious to be included on this card. With that in thoughts, and figuring out his observe file as an entertainer, he’s definitely going to placed on a present. This one figures to finish violently, and both manner it goes, there shall be a narrative popping out of it. Both Ruffy’s star energy multiplies, or Chandler produces a must-see second on the White Home garden. — Okamoto

3. Josh Hokit vs. Derrick Lewis, heavyweight

Two larger-than-life personalities slugging it out till one is put to sleep? Signal me up. Whether or not you’re keen on or hate Hokit’s professional wrestling-style character, emotions needed to be put apart for his gimmick after his epic brawl with Curtis Blaydes in April. After three rounds, Hokit received a choice over Blaydes, however can he stand as much as the facility of “The Black Beast?” Regardless of his personal colourful character, Lewis is not for the Hokit shenanigans and possesses the bludgeoning energy that might put an unceremonious finish to the “Unbelievable Hok” persona. There’s completely no probability this shall be anybody’s chess match, and it may devolve into Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em robots sooner or later. Oh, and whoever wins is assured to have a memorable postfight interview. — Hale

2. Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje, light-weight championship

The UFC particularly stated this occasion was not constructed as “U.S. vs. everybody,” and one fast have a look at the lineup confirms that. However the principle occasion options an American underdog going through an undefeated Georgian-Spanish champion. This struggle may resemble the climax of a Hollywood film. On high of that, Gaethje — a two-time interim champion and former BMF champion — has what is probably going his remaining alternative at an undisputed championship. The struggle figures to be a high-action matchup, so long as it lasts. The one factor holding it again is that Topuria is the heavy favourite to win (-535 in accordance with DraftKings), however remember, Gaethje has been a betting underdog in 10 of his 15 UFC appearances. His file in these matchups is 8-2. — Okamoto

1. Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane, interim heavyweight championship

What’s to not like about this matchup? In the event you like lovely violence, you’ve two of essentially the most technical strikers with concussive energy squaring off. The stakes make this matchup even higher, as Pereira seems to be to change into the primary three-division titleholder in UFC historical past. Nonetheless, the end result is way from predetermined, given Gane’s dimension and shocking efficiency in opposition to reigning champ Tom Aspinall, who’s recovering from an eye fixed harm. The one purpose this is not the principle occasion is as a result of it is for an interim title, however the struggle has all of the makings of an epic encounter. — Hale