We are just hours away from the start of the controversial UFC Freedom 250 event, dedicated to the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence, scheduled to take place on the lawn in front of the White House.
The event, which was originally planned to welcome 20,000 to 25,000 spectators, will now be attended by approximately 4,000 guests, invited by the organizers. Seven star-studded matches await us under the open sky, despite the lawsuits against the event and the lack of authorization from Congress.
Find out what our experts think about the most exciting bouts and our UFC Freedom 250 predictions below.
UFC Freedom 250 betting tips
Diego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia prediction
The card kicks off with a bout between Diego Lopes, who lost two title fights over the past year, and Steve Garcia, who has seven consecutive wins and is steadily climbing the ranks of the Featherweight division.
In our opinion, this is a fairly even matchup and therefore difficult to predict. Both fighters are explosive and have their strengths. Garcia will be more dangerous standing up, while Lopes will dominate on the ground.
Garcia has gained serious momentum, but he lacks Lopes’s experience at the highest level, which is exactly why we plan to back the Brazilian.
- Diego Lopes to win – 13/20
Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus prediction
This is one of those matches that won’t be very popular with fans because of the two fighters’ styles.
Both Bo Nickal and Kyle Daukaus prefer to win on the ground, and we expect to see a display of top-level wrestling. The difference between the two is that Nickal is a more aggressive wrestler, while Daukaus is technical with good defence, relying on his opponent’s mistakes.
Although his career is far more modest, Bo Nickal has faced tougher opponents in the last few years, and we believe he will have the advantage here. But we don’t expect him to win quickly.
- Over 1.5 rounds – 13/20
Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler prediction
Michael Chandler is likely getting one last chance to prove himself more than a year after his last fight, but given his recent performances, it seems more like they’re trying to feed him to Mauricio “Ruffy” Ruggiero.
A Bellator legend from the now distant past, Chandler hasn’t been a factor for years, with five losses in his last six fights. Indeed, he’s only fought the UFC elite, but in every fight, he has had the same problem – if he doesn’t win in the first round, he gets dominated.
Chandler is a full 40 years old, while Ruffy is a rising star at 29 – much faster and more explosive. If the American fails to hurt Ruffy in the early minutes, we expect One Shot to finish the fight with a knockout.
- Mauricio Ruffy to win via KO/TKO – 1/2
Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane prediction
According to a significant percentage of the MMA community, Ciryl Gane is getting yet another undeserved shot at the title, but in reality, the UFC had no one else to give the fight to against Alex Pereira, who decided he wanted to try his hand at winning a title in a third weight class.
This is one of the hardest fights to predict. Alex Pereira is a beast, but we’ve never seen him in this weight class. He’s also never faced a fighter like Gane, who is not only strong but also extremely intelligent.
In our opinion, Pereira has a chance, although his strength won’t be as much of a factor in this weight class, but we don’t recommend picking a winner. Rather, we think we’ll see a longer fight than usual with him involved.
- Over 2.5 rounds – 13/20
Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje prediction
There’s hardly a fan out there who doesn’t like Justin Gaethje – a mixed martial arts legend who would likely have been the undisputed champion had he fought in a different era.
But once again, he’ll face a fighter who, years from now, will be in the GOAT conversation. Ilia Topuria will defend his newly won UFC Lightweight Championship, having knocked out three of the greatest UFC champions—Charles Oliveira, Max Holloway, and Alexander Volkanovski—in his last three fights.
Gaethje will be more dangerous in the first round, and that’s when he’ll have his best chance to win. But Ilia Topuria is known for reading his opponents and adapting quickly. If the fight goes beyond the first or second round, as we expect, the Spaniard will likely add another great name to his resume.
- Over 1.5 rounds – 9/10
UFC Freedom 250 full card odds
- Lightweight: Ilia Topuria (3/20) vs. Justin Gaethje (9/2)
- Heavyweight: Alex Pereira (17/20) vs. Ciryl Gane (19/20)
- Bantamweight: Sean O’Malley (1/4) vs. Aiemann Zahabi (13/4)
- Heavyweight: Josh Hokit (1/4) vs. Derrick Lewis (16/5)
- Lightweight: Mauricio Ruffy (3/20) vs. Michael Chandler (9/2)
- Middleweight: Bo Nickal (3/10) vs. Kyle Daukaus (51/20)
- Featherweight: Diego Lopes (13/20) vs. Steve Garcia (5/4)
Vladislav has been professionally engaged in freelance journalism for seven years and has worked with numerous leading sports publications. A football and martial arts fanatic, he spent years training in both disciplines before turning to writing.
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