UFC Freedom 250, staged on Sunday night on the South Lawn of the White House, was mostly an impressive show. The main event, which pitted the second-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world, Ilia Topuria—the German-born lightweight champion who represents Georgia—against American underdog Justin Gaethje, lived up to its billing. Military personnel on hand chanted “USA! USA! USA!” Gaethje, 37, bloodied Topuria’s face and delivered a wicked knee to his ribs. Meanwhile Topuria, 29, continued to connect on his punches. But after the fourth of five rounds, Topuria’s corner stopped the fight, producing a storybook ending to an event that has roused widespread discussion about the appropriateness of using White House grounds for bloodsport.
The American, in the last stage of his career, prevailed against a younger fighter, in his prime, at the White House, in a celebration of the country’s 250th anniversary. “Hey, I’m from America,” said Gaethje afterwards, a title belt draped over his shoulder. “250 years ago, we were way bigger than 6-to-1 [under]dogs.” UFC commentator Joe Rogan, the popular podcaster who has been calling bouts since 2002, called Gaethje’s victory “one of the great upsets” and “one of the greatest fights” in the history of the sport.
The main event wasn’t the only highlight. President Donald Trump, a longtime fight fan and friend of UFC president and CEO Dana White, sat cageside the day the U.S. and Iran reached an agreement, to be signed on Friday, to end the war that started Feb. 28. Trump saw exciting action in each fight that night. All seven, in fact, ended in a knockout or technical knockout, the first time all fights on a main card ended in knockouts in the nearly 33-year history of the UFC.
On a day that the Weather Channel forecast “rain, 30 mph winds and mosquitos on the White House lawn,” the weather broke the UFC’s way. After a 30-minute delay, the card went forward uninterrupted. The United States Marine Band played catchy live tunes, putting its spin on ditties like “The Boys Are Back In Town” and “YMCA.” Military heroes and first responders from all over the country accompanied fighters to the Octagon.
The White House backdrop, fighters walking out of the Oval Office and down the West Wing for their introductions, the shots of the Washington monument, the massive crowd watching the fight together on the Ellipse, the fireworks: it all made for a compelling sports production.
Unfortunately, one moment threatens to overshadow the positive takeaways from the evening. After heavyweight Josh Hokit took care of fellow American Derrick Lewis in the fourth fight of the night, knocking him out in the second round, Hokit, known for playing a heel, went off script. “Hey, shout out to Trump for having the balls to put on some sh-t like this,” he said in his post-fight interview, in the Octagon, with Rogan. He then praised God, made a crude remark about the mother of Alex Pereira, the Brazilian heavyweight who lost his fight later in the evening, and finished his monologue with, “lastly, Michele Obama is a man. Am I right, America?”
The crowd reacted with a mix of laughter and groans. Rogan didn’t address Hokit’s slur in the moment or during the rest of the night’s fights. “I understand that the Obama’s are public figures but I’m completely against saying nasty and false things about people’s families,” White, the UFC CEO, told TIME in a text message. “Everyone knows my position on free speech but I hate that kind of nonsense.” The White House did not immediately respond to TIME’s request for comment about Hokit. In the leadup to the fight, White had said he didn’t see the White House card as political; rather, it was an event all Americans could enjoy. But Hokit’s remark created instant division.
White has publicly said he’s not a fan of Hokit’s act; Hokit wasn’t even supposed to be fighting in D.C. on Sunday. But at UFC 327, in April in Miami, Trump asked White why Lewis, whom Trump admires, wasn’t on the original White House lineup. So White immediately added Lewis. But he needed an opponent. Hokit had just beaten Curtis Blaydes in a wild bout in Miami. Out of respect for Hokit’s effort that night, White set aside his concerns about his behavior and matched him up with Lewis on the South Lawn.
At the post-fight press conference, White credited his team, and the White House staff, for organizing the complicated logistics and security arrangement to pull off a successful South Lawn sporting event, and he hinted that Paramount, which is paying the UFC $7.7 million over 7 years to stream its fights, was very happy with the viewership. White said UFC Freedom 250 doubled the organization's merchandise sales record for a single card. He had been worried about bad weather and bugs throwing the evening off, but in the end, the fighters said they enjoyed the breeze. White had reason to be pleased.
As did the new light heavyweight champion of the world. “To all the current, former and future military service members, I thank you so much,” Gaethje said in the Octagon after his win. “Thank you to all the first responders, the police officers, firefighters, ambulance, EMTs. You guys have no idea how grateful I am. For as long as I am able to, I will use my name to make money and support you guys.”
Now that’s a victory speech. If only Hokit followed suit.