[83185] Historic event at the White House: UFC Freedom 250 tournament concludes with dramatic finishes

The special UFC event in Washington: Sport and diplomacy

In an unprecedented event, the UFC Freedom 250 tournament took place last night in an arena specially constructed near the White House lawns in Washington. The event, which became a display of American power, opened with an impressive ceremony that included a training flyover above the complex, as reported by RIA Novosti: USA.

Among those present in the crowd were former President Donald Trump and UFC CEO Dana White, who arrived at the scene after, as recalled, according to IZ.RU, the U.S. State Department (led by Marco Rubio) recently signed a memorandum of cooperation with the UFC to promote "sports diplomacy" and cultural exchange. Donald Trump in Russian (known for a pro-Trump administration and Russia line) noted that the occasion included the playing of the U.S. national anthem as part of the ceremony.

In the arena itself, according to Sports.ru reports, Ciryl Gane stunned the crowd by knocking out Alex Pereira, thereby winning the interim UFC Heavyweight Championship. In the main event of the evening, another surprise occurred: Justin Gaethje was crowned the new Lightweight Champion after a technical knockout victory over Ilia Topuria. According to Sport on Kinopoisk, Topuria's corner chose not to continue to the fifth round due to an injury to the fighter's eye.

Security around the event was particularly heavy, with mounted police forces and the National Guard with armored vehicles deployed throughout the complex, a move described in IZ.RU as necessary to maintain public order and the safety of the distinguished guests. Despite concerns about the weather in Washington, the competition was completed as planned.