Liam Lindsay

Oleksandr Usyk has successfully kept his undefeated 25-0 record intact in his most recent fight against former GLORY Kickboxing World Champion Rico Verhoeven, flooring him once in the eleventh round before referee Mark Lyson stopped the fight seconds after the bell had already rung, right in front of the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.

## RIco Verhoeven Shocked The World

The entire fight was a spectacle to watch. Rico Verhoeven surprised a lot of people by fighting strongly in the first round, hunched over with quick feet and active feints. He competed with Usyk in the lead hand battle and didn't let Usyk establish any sense of rhythm with his jab. What was even more surprising was that Verhoeven performed well in the second round too, and followed it up with another strong third round.

In the fourth round, momentum changed. I thought, and I'm sure a lot of others thought, this was the big turning point in the fight. Usyk pressed forward with combinations, landing clean uppercuts which hurt Verhoeven and made him drop his mouthpiece. Usyk was doing what he does best: downloading data and gradually turning up the pressure.

Now reading everything so far, would you expect me to say that between rounds five to nine, I gave Usyk just one of those rounds? Verhoeven, who looked revitalised after a difficult fourth round, started to comfortably outbox Usyk both at range and up close. **The +800 underdog was giving Usyk serious problems for large stretches of rounds six through nine.** The man never slowed down. I found it mesmerising. This man is used to fighting 5x3s in Kickboxing, and now he’s outworking the workhorse.

I’ve watched Usyk take out legend after legend, beating Murat Gassiev and Mairis Briedis to conquer the Cruiserweight division, stopping Daniel Dubois twice, ending the undefeated reign of Tyson Fury, battering Anthony Joshua in the 12th round in their fight at Tottenham. **And Rico Verhoeven was outboxing him. Ridiculous.**

## The Fight Started To Flip

The tenth round was a turning point in the fight, a much better one for Oleksandr Usyk. For me though, I felt it was far too little, too late. **There was a serious argument that Usyk was down 8-2 (98-92 on the scorecards)** going into the Championship rounds of the fight. I genuinely thought Verhoeven could afford to lose a 10-8 round and still edge the fight on the cards. Very naive.

Then the eleventh round happened. At this point in the fight, I had it scored 7-3 (97-93) for Rico Verhoeven, with Usyk honestly taking just two clear rounds. The eleventh was competitive before the big shot landed. In the closing seconds, Usyk dropped Verhoeven with a perfectly timed uppercut. Quite impressively, Rico returned to his feet and looked fine to continue. Usyk swarmed with a late flurry, and then the bell rang. A tough moment for Rico, who would certainly need to survive a difficult twelfth... **what? The fight's over?**

The bell had already sounded, yet Mark Lyson stepped in moments later to wave the fight off after Usyk missed his final punch. Oleksandr Usyk, and still.

## Boxing, Consistency, and the Scorecards

The problem I find with boxing is that there's no consistency with these kinds of stoppages. Just a few weeks ago I watched Fabio Wardley get mauled before he was brutally TKO'd in the eleventh round. I watched him struggle to stand on his feet before the tenth round started, and yet there was no stoppage. Two years ago I watched Tyson Fury nearly go unconscious on his feet when Oleksandr Usyk rocked him in the ninth round of their first fight, and again there was no stoppage. Two hours ago I watched Rico Verhoeven climb off the canvas in a fight where he hadn't previously been hurt, and it was stopped. **Where is the consistency?** But don’t get me confused, I absolutely think Wardley should have been pulled out earlier in that fight. There’s a fine line between stopping a fight too early and stopping it too late, and boxing referees seem to lose balance on that tightrope constantly.

I'd be remiss not to mention the scorecards. Judge Manuel Oliver Palomo had it a draw. Judge Fabian Guggenheim also scored it a draw. Judge Pasquale Procopio had it 96-94 (6-4) in favour of Rico Verhoeven. I'm honestly not sure what surprised me more, the stoppage or those scorecards. I understand boxing is a difficult sport to judge, and in no way am I insinuating I could do a better job than three qualified judges, but the general consensus online appeared to be that Verhoeven was ahead by at least a few rounds. For two judges not to have split the rounds more evenly through ten rounds shocked me badly.

It is a shame about the stoppage, and I think the scorecards are disappointing as well. But Rico Verhoeven being in that ring tonight was anything but a shame. This fight evolved from a novelty spectacle into a legitimate Heavyweight Championship-level contest. The King of Kickboxing showed up and delivered against the consensus greatest Heavyweight boxer in the world right now. Huge respect to Rico Verhoeven. Of course, respect to Usyk as well, who still has plenty of options for his next fight. **You can hate the stoppage as much as you want, and I certainly do, but you can’t hate Usyk. That man has always been, and will continue to be, one of the classiest figures in boxing.**


The King of Kickboxing Was Almost The King of Boxing

Themba Gorimbo (14-7) has officially retired from mixed martial arts. The Zimbabwean Welterweight announced his decision in an Instagram post, citing his failure to reach his dream of becoming a UFC Champion as the reason for walking away from the sport.

Gorimbo's retirement comes on the back of a third consecutive loss, dropping a split decision to Jonathan Micallef at UFC Perth on May 2. The defeat left him with a 4-4 UFC record and no quick path toward title contention. In his Instagram statement, Gorimbo was candid about where things stood.

> "My dream is to be a UFC champion and if I cannot be that I am going to walk away from the sport." - Themba Gorimbo

Alongside his four Octagon wins, Gorimbo will be remembered for his viral moment when Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson gifted him a home in Miami after winning his first fight in the UFC after hearing his story. He will also be etched in history as the first Zimbabwean to win in the UFC.

Gorimbo left the door open for a future in coaching or management, and as anyone who follows MMA knows, retirements in this sport are never truly final.

Themba Gorimbo Announces Retirement From MMA

Dana White has confirmed the full card for UFC 329, and it might be the most stacked non-title event in recent memory. The International Fight Week headliner takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on July 11th, with Conor McGregor's long-awaited return leading a card loaded with compelling matchups from top to bottom.

## McGregor vs. Holloway 2

Conor McGregor (22-6) returns to the Octagon for the first time in nearly five years against former Featherweight and BMF Champion Max Holloway (27-9) in a five-round Welterweight main event. The two originally met in 2013 at Featherweight, with McGregor winning via unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night 26. Since 2021, McGregor has been sidelined by a broken leg, an 18-month USADA suspension, and a string of off-cage controversies. Holloway is coming off his own setback, a lopsided decision loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 326 in March, but he's still a heavy favourite. It's a big risk for McGregor's return fight. A win could propel him straight into a title fight with current Lightweight Champion Ilia Topurua, but it's a big ask for McGregor to beat one of the best strikers in the UFC in his return fight.

## Paddy Pimblett Back in Action

Paddy "The Baddy" Pimblett (23-4) makes his first appearance since suffering his first UFC defeat, a unanimous decision loss to Justin Gaethje in January's interim Lightweight title fight at UFC 324. He takes on Benoît "God of War" Saint-Denis (17-3) in the co-main event. Saint Denis arrives in red-hot form with four straight wins, most recently finishing Dan Hooker at UFC 325 in January, and is currently ranked fifth in the Lightweight division. Pimblett, ranked sixth, needs a convincing performance here to stay in the title conversation. Saint-Denis poses a difficult style matchup for him; this is far from an easy bounce back fight.

## Bantamweight Rematch

Cory Sandhagen (18-6) and Mario Bautista (17-3) run it back in a rematch from their 2019 encounter, where Sandhagen submitted Bautista in round one. Both men have come a long way since then, Sandhagen most recently challenged Merab Dvalishvili for the Bantamweight title, while Bautista has built himself into a top-eight contender with wins over the likes of José Aldo and Patchy Mix.

## Flyweight Title Implications

Brandon Royval and Lone'er Kavanagh meet in a Flyweight bout that has big title implications. Kavanagh is coming off a breakout win over Brandon Moreno earlier this year, and a victory over the experienced Royval would make him near-impossible to ignore in the title conversation.

**Also on the Card**

- Robert Whittaker vs. Nikita Krylov — Light-Heavyweight
- Gable Steveson vs. Elisha Ellison — Heavyweight
- Cody Garbrandt vs. Adrian Yañez — Bantamweight
- Tracy Cortez vs. Wang Cong — Women's Flyweight
- Kai Kamaka III vs. Luke Riley — Featherweight
- Damian Pinas vs. César Almeida — Middleweight
- Cody Durden vs. Ode' Osbourne — Flyweight
- Ryan Gandra vs. Zachary Reese — Middleweight

What are you most looking forward to on the UFC 329 card, and who do you have winning the main event? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know with a comment down below.

Dana White Confirms McGregor's Return at UFC 329

MVP MMA makes its debut tomorrow, live on Netflix from the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, headlined by a Women's Featherweight bout between Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano. The official weigh-ins took place today, here are the results.

## Main Card 9 PM EST

**Women's Featherweight:** Ronda Rousey (142) vs. Gina Carano (141.4)

**Welterweight:** Nate Diaz (168.6) vs. Mike Perry (169.6)

**Heavyweight:** Francis Ngannou (257) vs. Philipe Lins (220.6)

**Lightweight:** Salahdine Parnasse (154.8) vs. Kenny Cross (155.4)

**Heavyweight:** Junior dos Santos (245.4) vs. Robelis Despaigne (258.8)

## Prelims 6 PM EST

**Welterweight:** Namo Fazil vs. Jake Babian (171)

**Catchweight (130 lbs):** Adriano Moraes (129) vs. Phumi Nkuta (129)

**Welterweight:** Jason Jackson (170.8) vs. Jeff Creighton (168.2)

**Featherweight:** David Mgoyan (145.2) vs. Albert Morales (143.8)

**Catchweight (130 lbs):** Aline Pereira (128) vs. Jade Masson-Wong (129)

**Catchweight (165 lbs):** Chris Avila (164) vs. Brandon Jenkins

MVP MMA 1: Rousey vs. Carano Weigh-In Results

The UFC is live on Paramount tomorrow from the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, headlined by a Featherweight bout between Arnold Allen and Melquizael Costa. The official weigh-ins took place today, here are the results.

## Main Card 8 PM EST

**Featherweight:** Arnold Allen (145.5) vs. Melquizael Costa (145.5)

**Featherweight:** Doo Ho Choi (146) vs. Daniel Santos (145)

**Bantamweight:** Malcolm Wellmaker (135.5) vs. Juan Diaz (135.5)

**Catchweight (215 lbs):** Modestas Bukauskas (213.5) vs. Christian Edwards (214.5)

**Bantamweight:** Timothy Cuamba vs. Bernardo Sopaj (136)

**Welterweight:** Nikolay Veretennikov (170.5) vs. Khaos Williams (170.5)

## Prelims 5 PM EST

**Light Heavyweight:** Tuco Tokkos (205.5) vs. Ivan Erslan (205.5)

**Lightweight:** Thomas Gantt (156) vs. Artur Minev (155)

**Women's Bantamweight:** Ketlen Vieira (136) vs. Jacqueline Cavalcanti (135.5)

**Middleweight:** Cody Brundage vs. Andre Petroski (185.5)

**Women's Strawweight:** Alice Ardelean (116) vs. Polyana Viana (115.5)

**Flyweight:** Daniel Barez (125.5) vs. Luis Gurule (125.5)

**Women's Strawweight:** Shauna Bannon (115.5) vs. Nicolle Caliari (115.5)

UFC Vegas 117: Allen vs. Costa Weigh-In Results

Sean Strickland shocked the world for a second time in the main event of UFC 328, handing previously undefeated Khamzat Chimaev the first loss of his MMA career via split decision.

It was a sluggish fight from both fighters, who laboured their way through the championship rounds with competitive striking numbers and a surprising lack of wrestling aggression from the Chechen. Two of the three judges decided Strickland's accurate jab did enough damage to secure him the final round of the fight, turning in two 48-47 scorecards to award Strickland the victory.

```iframe
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The oddsmakers are always confident in Israel Adesanya.<br><br>He&#39;s lost 3 fights to Alex Pereira, but the oddsmakers still have him as a favorite heading into this weekend.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UFC287?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UFC287</a> <a href="https://t.co/0MF4krsH1v">pic.twitter.com/0MF4krsH1v</a></p>&mdash; Verdict (@TournamentsMMA) <a href="https://twitter.com/UFCNews/status/2053336166230024436?s=20">April 5, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
```

Khamzat Chimaev's cardio looked about as bad as we've seen it in his MMA career, as he struggled to take Strickland down after the first round of the fight. Strickland was able to hold him down for an entire round in the second, the first time that's happened to Khamzat in his sixteen-fight career. We've seen Chimaev slow down significantly against former opposition, notably Gilbert Burns and Kamaru Usman, but not to this amount, and certainly not this early either. Multiple factors can play into this, including Strickland's stellar takedown and submission defense, but it'd be amiss to not notice Chimaev struggled with the weight cut going into his first defense of his Middleweight title.

Shortly after the fight, Chimaev informed Dana White he no longer wishes to compete in the Middleweight division, and now eyes an immediate jump up to the Light-Heavyweight division, where Carlos Ulberg currently reigns. The question now is which fighter "Borz" takes on in his 205-pound debut, the third weight class of his short MMA career.



## The One Everyone Wants to See

In 2023, Khamzat Chimaev was scheduled to face former Middleweight title challenger Paulo Costa at UFC 294. Costa pulled out two weeks out, prompting Kamaru Usman to step in on short notice, and the fight was never re-booked. But just because it fizzled doesn't mean these two aren't itching to fight each other. Costa has repeatedly called out Chimaev online since their fight fell out. Costa recently made a successful and impressive debut at Light-Heavyweight, taking the undefeated record of Azamat Murzakanov at UFC 327 via third-round knockout. With Costa coming off a career-best performance and Chimaev looking to establish himself in a new division, this feels like the perfect fight to book next for both fighters.

## Straight to The Belt?

When the UFC booked Chimaev against Strickland, it was clear they're moving away from a meritocratic system, and instead offering title fights based on two statistics: name value and availability. Given Chimaev's star power in the sport, the UFC will be itching to get him back into a championship spot. This matchup isn't as likely, but because of Chimaev's name and recognition, he could be next for Carlos Ulberg's Light-Heavyweight title. Ulberg is coming off a first-round KO win over Jiri Prochazka, but is sidelined with an ACL tear for the next six months. Chimaev averages one fight every eight months, so that timeline fits for "Borz." If the UFC wants Chimaev back in a headliner spot, this could be the next move.

```iframe
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The oddsmakers are always confident in Israel Adesanya.<br><br>He&#39;s lost 3 fights to Alex Pereira, but the oddsmakers still have him as a favorite heading into this weekend.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UFC287?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UFC287</a> <a href="https://t.co/0MF4krsH1v">pic.twitter.com/0MF4krsH1v</a></p>&mdash; Verdict (@TournamentsMMA) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMCSportCombat/status/2043178077186879877?s=20">April 5, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
```

## Two Top Contenders

Light-Heavyweight is a totally fresh division for the Chechen, and any matchup is an interesting one on paper. The leading stories going into his 205 debut will undoubtedly be his uncharacteristic performance against Strickland, and whether that'll persist into his new division. As well as that, how will he size up against the division's best? The two names that stand out to me the most are former Champions Jiri Prochazka and Magomed Ankalaev, who will both bring a completely new style to test Chimaev in the cage.

Jiri Prochazka has one of the most unpredictable fighting styles we've seen in MMA. With his relentless cardio and signature awkward striking style, it'll be a puzzle Chimaev won't be able to even attempt to solve until he steps in the cage. We've seen Chimaev struggle with fighters in the past on the feet, most notably Gilbert Burns, and with all respect to Durinho, Prochazka poses a much larger threat on the feet, one Chimaev has never seen before. And equally, Chimaev possesses all the tools to hand Prochazka a second straight defeat, with Prochazka being finished in all of his career losses and posting a 60% takedown defense accuracy. Those are the kind of numbers Chimaev will smell blood on.

Ankalaev essentially poses the opposite problem. A tidy striker with a strong wrestling base both offensively and defensively. Kamaru Usman is the most decorated wrestler we've seen Chimaev face in the Octagon so far, and he was able to stuff eight of Chimaev's twelve attempted takedowns. And we have to remember, that was a version of Usman coming up a weight class with little preparation on two weeks' notice. Ankalaev fights in a weight class 35 pounds heavier, and if Chimaev can't assert his signature wrestling style in that division, he could be in serious trouble coming off the first loss of his career.

Whether it's the tricky style of Prochazka or the technical well-roundedness of Magomed Ankalaev, we'll see in the upcoming months how the division unfolds and where Chimaev can fit in to the picture. Overall, it's very likely one of these matchups is the next for the former Middleweight Champion.

What did you make of Khamzat Chimaev's performance against Sean Strickland, and how would you matchmake him in the new division? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know with a comment below.

Khamzat Chimaev Confirms Move to Light-Heavyweight After Upset Loss to Sean Strickland

A pair of big matchups are reportedly in the works for UFC 329 on July 11 in Las Vegas. Paddy Pimblett vs. Benoit Saint Denis at Lightweight and Robert Whittaker vs. Nikita Krylov at Light-Heavyweight are both being lined up for International Fight Week at the T-Mobile Arena. The Pimblett vs. Saint Denis booking was first reported by La Sueur, while Vestnik MMA broke the news on Whittaker vs. Krylov.

## Pimblett vs. Saint Denis

Paddy Pimblett (23-4) is coming off the first loss of his UFC career after dropping a unanimous decision to Justin Gaethje at UFC 324 in January with the interim Lightweight title on the line. Before that setback, the Scouser had built up a perfect 7-0 octagon record with wins over the likes of Tony Ferguson, King Green, and Michael Chandler. "The Baddy" is one of the UFC's biggest draws, but a second straight loss would all but knock him out of the title picture. On the other side, Benoit Saint Denis (17-3) has fought his way back into contention after a brutal 2024 that saw him lose back-to-back to Dustin Poirier and Renato Moicano. Since then, the Frenchman has reeled off four straight finishes, capped by a second-round TKO of Dan Hooker in January, with "God of War" now sitting inside the Lightweight top five and opening as the betting favorite.

## Whittaker vs. Krylov

Robert Whittaker (27-9) is  making the leap to Light-Heavyweight after dropping consecutive Middleweight bouts to Khamzat Chimaev and Reinier de Ridder. The former UFC Middleweight Champion put up a competitive showing against de Ridder last July in Abu Dhabi but came up short on the scorecards in a split decision. With the Middleweight division stacked at the top and the title scene out of reach for now, "The Reaper" is rolling the dice on a fresh start at 205 lbs. He'll be welcomed to the division by Nikita Krylov (31-12), who bounced back from back-to-back knockout losses to Dominick Reyes and Bogdan Guskov by stopping Modestas Bukauskas in January. Whittaker will be hunting Krylov's #13 ranking in the division.

What do you make of these matchups, and who do you think comes out on top in each? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know with a comment down below.

Paddy Pimblett vs. Benoit Saint-Denis and Robert Whittaker vs. Nikita Krylov Booked for UFC 329

The UFC is live on Fight Night this weekend from RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia, headlined by a Welterweight bout between former champion Jack Della Maddalena and Carlos Prates. The official weigh-ins took place today, here are the results.

## Main Card 7 AM EST

**Welterweight:** Jack Della Maddalena (170) vs. Carlos Prates (170)

**Lightweight:** Beneil Dariush (156) vs. Quillan Salkilld (156)

**Flyweight:** Tim Elliott (126) vs. Steve Erceg (125.5)

**Featherweight:** Marwan Rahiki (146) vs. Ollie Schmid (145.5)

**Heavyweight:** Shamil Gaziev (264) vs. Brando Pericic (265)

**Heavyweight:** Tai Tuivasa (265) vs. Louie Sutherland (261)

## Prelims 4 AM EST

**Middleweight:** Cam Rowston (185) vs. Robert Bryczek (186)

**Light Heavyweight:** Junior Tafa (205.5) vs. Kevin Christian (204)

**Middleweight:** Jacob Malkoun (186) vs. Gerald Meerschaert (190)\*

**Bantamweight:** Colby Thicknesse (135) vs. Vince Morales (136)

**Middleweight:** Ben Johnston (185.5) vs. Wes Schultz (186)

**Welterweight:** Jonathan Micallef (170) vs. Themba Gorimbo (171)

**Lightweight:** Dom Mar Fan (155.5) vs. Kody Steele (156)

\*Gerald Meerschaert has missed the Middleweight limit by 4 pounds

UFC Perth: Della Maddalena vs. Prates Weigh-In Results

International Fight Week is just over two months out, and following the White House card in June, UFC 329 is shaping up as the next major event on the UFC calendar. The numbered card is set for July 11th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with the full week of events running from July 9th through 12th. The main event is still up in the air, but a handful of bouts have already been locked in, and one major rumor continues to dominate the conversation.

## McGregor's Return on the Table

The biggest storyline surrounding UFC 329 is the return of Conor McGregor. After missing out on a desired spot at the UFC's White House card on June 14th, Dana White has confirmed McGregor's comeback is being targeted for International Fight Week. Ariel Helwani has reported that Max Holloway is the frontrunner to face him, though nothing has been signed. McGregor has not fought since his first round doctor stoppage loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021, making any return one of the most anticipated fights of the year. The Irishman is adamant he'll make his return on this event, so all parties seem to be in agreement.

## Pimblett vs. Saint-Denis Looks Set

A top-10 Lightweight clash between Paddy Pimblett and Benoit Saint-Denis is all but official. Pimblett confirmed his return for International Fight Week, and Saint-Denis has all but outed himself as the opponent through cryptic social media posts hinting at facing an Englishman. The Scouser is coming off the first loss of his UFC career, dropping a five-round decision to Justin Gaethje in their interim title fight at UFC 324. Saint-Denis (15-3) is the higher-ranked man at #5, riding a four-fight win streak with wins over Beneil Dariush, Mauricio Ruffy, and most recently Dan Hooker at UFC 325. It's arguably a tougher fight for Pimblett than Gaethje was, but he needs to bounce back into title contention. For BSD, it's the biggest oppotunity in his career since he faced Dustin Poirier in the co-main event of UFC 299, and one that could propel him into title contention.

## Sandhagen vs. Bautista 2

Cory Sandhagen and Mario Bautista will run it back more than six years after their first meeting. Sandhagen submitted Bautista in the first round at UFC Brooklyn back in January 2019, when Bautista was making his promotional debut on short notice. Since then, Bautista (17-3) has gone 11-2 in the UFC and is coming off a second round submission of Vinicius Oliveira in February. Sandhagen (18-6), meanwhile, is looking to bounce back from a lopsided decision loss to then-champion Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 320. With both men firmly in the top 10 at 135, the winner sets themselves up for a real run at the title.

## Edwards Looking to Stop the Skid

Former Welterweight Champion Leon Edwards (22-6, 1 NC) is reportedly set to face Daniel Rodriguez at the event, per Rodriguez himself9. Edwards has dropped three in a row, losing his title to Belal Muhammad at UFC 304, getting submitted by Sean Brady in his return to London, and most recently being knocked out in the second round by Carlos Prates at UFC 322. Rocky needs a win badly to stay relevant in the division, and Rodriguez offers a stylistic test that should give him the oppotunity to bounce back on a big stage, though you can never count out D-Rod.

## Steveson Makes His Octagon Debut

Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson is officially signed and will make his UFC debut at UFC 329. The 2020 freestyle wrestling gold medalist still doesn't have an opponent confirmed, but his arrival has been one of the most anticipated debuts of the year. Elsewhere on the card, former kickboxer César Almeida and undefeated Aruban prospect Damian Pinas have been booked at Middleweight in the first announced bout for the event.

What do you want to see on the UFC 329 card? And who do you think should headline this year's International Fight Week? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know with a comment down below.

Who Is Fighting on UFC 329, International Fight Week?

Did the UFC White House Card Deliver?

After months of speculation, public lobbying from fighters, and mounting anticipation, the UFC has officially unveiled the lineup for the UFC White House card (now dubbed UFC Freedom Fights 250), set for June 14 on the South Lawn of the White House. The event will be headlined by a Lightweight title unification bout between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje. In the co-main event, Alex Pereira moves up to face Ciryl Gane for the interim Heavyweight Championship.

Elsewhere on the six fight card, Sean O'Malley meets Aiemann Zahabi, Mauricio Ruffy faces Michael Chandler, Bo Nickal takes on Kyle Daukaus, and Diego Lopes squares off with Steve Garcia.

Despite the intrigue of several matchups, the overall reaction from fans and fighters has been somewhat underwhelming. For an event billed as one of the most significant in the promotion's history, a lot of fans have been left questioning if “that’s it”?


```iframe
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The oddsmakers are always confident in Israel Adesanya.<br><br>He&#39;s lost 3 fights to Alex Pereira, but the oddsmakers still have him as a favorite heading into this weekend.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UFC287?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UFC287</a> <a href="https://t.co/0MF4krsH1v">pic.twitter.com/0MF4krsH1v</a></p>&mdash; Verdict (@TournamentsMMA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ufc/status/2030485076988018772?s=20">April 5, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
```

## The Fights That Never Materialized

Two of the sport’s biggest names were notably absent from the final lineup, Jon Jones and Conor McGregor. 

Both men had desperately campaigned for a spot on the card. Jones had expressed interest in a showdown with Alex Pereira, while McGregor had repeatedly targeted Michael Chandler as his return opponent. McGregor, at certain points too, was also bizarrely linked to Welterweight contender Carlos Prates. Ultimately, both Pereira and Chandler landed on the card, just not in the fights fans had envisioned. Chandler taking on Ruffy is a classic veteran vs. prospect matchup, but it lacks the sense of occasion many expected for an event of this magnitude. Pereira vs. Gane, on the other hand, carries genuine intrigue. “Poatan” will attempt to become the first fighter in UFC history to win Championships in three different divisions. However, with only an interim Heavyweight title on the line, the achievement would inevitably feel somewhat hollow compared to capturing the undisputed belt.

## Expectations Were Set Too High?

Now let’s be fair, the card is very good. Topuria vs. Gaethje is a legitimate title unification bout between two of the Lightweight division’s most explosive finishers. Pereira’s move up to Heavyweight to compete for interim gold adds another compelling chapter to his already remarkable run.

If this were the main card of a typical UFC numbered event, most fans would likely agree that it’s stacked. The reality, however, is that this is not just another numbered event. The scale of the promotion around it has given it a “UFC 300”-type feel, arguably even surpassing some of the UFC’s recent marquee shows, including UFC 300 and the Sphere card. With eleven months of hype and anticipation behind it, it is reasonable to say that expectations were higher.

The issue is the overall depth. With only six fights scheduled, fewer than half the size of a typical numbered card, the lineup ultimately feels thin for what is being billed as one of the most historic events in UFC history. It is also worth remembering that, at one point, UFC commentator Jon Anik suggested the card could feature as many as six or seven title fights. Instead, the final lineup includes just two Championship bouts, one of which is for an interim belt.

> I do believe that we may see six or seven undisputed titles contested on the White House lawn. - Jon Anik.

Give us your honest thoughts on the UFC White House card with a comment below.

Rin Nakai