UFC Freedom 250 Best Bets: White House Fight Night Picks | Deadspin.com

The day is lastly right here. In only a few hours, the UFC will host one of the distinctive and anticipated occasions it’s ever performed. Practically one 12 months after it was first teased by President Donald Trump, UFC Freedom 250 goes down on the South Garden of the White House in Washington, D.C.

The primary occasion will see an undisputed UFC light-weight champion be topped as reigning champion Ilia Topuria defends towards interim champion Justin Gaethje.

Topuria claimed the championship by knocking out Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 final 12 months. He’s been sidelined as a result of a custody battle. Gaethje turned the UFC interim light-weight champion with a win over Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324 in January. It’s Gaethje’s second reign as interim champion, and it will mark his third probability at undisputed light-weight gold.

An interim heavyweight champion shall be topped within the co-main occasion as Alex Pereira takes on Ciryl Gane. Historical past is on the road on this bout, as a win by Pereira will make him the primary fighter in UFC historical past to ever win championships in three totally different weight lessons throughout their profession.

Pereira reclaimed the sunshine heavyweight title in his final battle, ending Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320. Gane enters this battle off the no-contest he had with present heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall at UFC 321. Gane is a former interim champion and has had unsuccessful cracks on the undisputed gold towards Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones.

The remainder of the UFC Freedom 250 card will see Sean O’Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi, Josh Hokit vs. Derrick Lewis, Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler, Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus, and Diego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia.

ILIA TOPURIA VS JUSTIN GAETHJE

It’s unanimously agreed that this could be Gaethje’s closing probability to develop into undisputed champion – and he may retire with a loss tonight. Whereas he’ll have that motivation, he’s taking up one of many males persistently vying for the highest spot within the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings.

Topuria has a powerful floor recreation and Gaethje has a wrestling background – however these shall be thrown out the window. With Topuria being an thrilling fighter and Gaethje somebody who desires to provide entertaining highlights, count on these two to throw leather-based till somebody goes down and stays down.

Whereas that ought to imply a battle that produces fireworks, if Topuria has even an oz. of the technical talent with him and Gaethje will get too wild, it’ll be Spain standing on prime at evening’s finish.

BET: Topuria to win by KO/TKO in Rounds 1 OR 2 (FanDuel: +105)

ALEX PEREIRA VS CIRYL GANE

This line is fairly disrespectful to Pereira. Sure, he’s shifting as much as a brand new weight class and taking up the man who was pushing Aspinall to a restrict earlier than the anticlimactic ending. However Pereira will not be your common fighter; he’s one of many pound-for-pound finest.

Pereira’s energy didn’t go away him when leaping from middleweight to mild heavyweight. And on the weigh-ins yesterday, he jumped up to an enormous 251 kilos – a jacked 251. Gane may need that “final probability” strain on him, however is he actually prepared for “Poatan”?

Gane might want to tie up and take down Pereira, profit from grappling, to have one of the best probability to win. The extra he chooses to commerce, the extra he dangers seeing stars on the White House garden.

BET: Pereira by way of KO/TKO (DraftKings & FanDuel: +150)

MAURICIO RUFFY VS MICHAEL CHANDLER

It’s attention-grabbing to consider how totally different Michael Chandler’s UFC profession would have been if he completed Charles Oliveira and received the UFC light-weight title at UFC 262. Sadly, it’s been downhill for him since. Chandler is simply 2-5 within the UFC and was unable to see the dream match with Conor McGregor come to fruition.

He now takes on Mauricio Ruffy, a harmful light-weight contender who comes from the Combating Nerds camp. Chandler wants to make use of his wrestling, however that may not be sufficient for him right here. Ruffy is highly effective, he’s speedy and correct, and he simply has extra to supply as a fighter proper now than Chandler. Chandler may need the post-fight bonuses, however he doesn’t have the Ws.

BET: Ruffy to win by way of KO/TKO AND Beneath 1.5 rounds (DraftKings: -125)