Trump unveils UFC ‘Freedom 250’ belt as Ilia Topuria says: ‘I never thought you would be so kind’

Trump welcomed top UFC fighters to the Oval Office as he revealed a custom “Freedom 250” championship belt for the upcoming White House fight. The event, to be held on June 14, is part of America’s 250th anniversary celebrations and will feature a temporary arena set up on White House grounds.

Ilia Topuria appeared surprised by how warm and welcoming Trump was during the Oval Office meeting, admitting he “never thought” the president would be “so kind.” Trump laughed off the compliment by replying that he has a “false image,” drawing smiles from the UFC fighters gathered at the White House.

During the Oval Office meeting, Topuria also playfully asked Trump why he wanted to give his “friend” Justin Gaethje such a difficult matchup. Before Trump could answer, Gaethje jumped in saying: “Because he knows that’s what I want.” Topuria is set to defend the undisputed UFC lightweight title against interim champion Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250. The high-profile title unification bout will headline the historic White House fight.

Trump showcased renderings of the planned UFC setup, which includes a temporary octagon arena with thousands of seats directly outside the White House. Additional giant screens are expected to allow tens of thousands of fans to watch from surrounding areas during the historic event.

Trump praised the fighters Topuria, Gaethje, Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane as “the toughest people” in sports and predicted the event would become “the greatest show on Earth.” The June 14 fight is expected to be one of the most unusual sporting spectacles ever held at the White House.