Vote for Greater Cincinnati high school athlete of the week, May 11
Cast your vote for Greater Cincinnati's athlete of the week by May 11!
Alex Pereira and Ilia Topuria will exchange their custom shorts for US kits at UFC Freedom 250, a special event on the White House lawn celebrating 250 years of American independence. The event will feature military personnel and VIPs, along with a return to the six-sided ring.
Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC
When the UFC Octagon arrives in Washington D.C. this June, it wonât just be another fight night â everyone will be wearing red, white, and blue.
The promotion is hosting a special event on the White House lawn to mark 250 years of American independence, with military personnel and VIPs in attendance.
UFC Freedom 250 will also see a return to the six-sided ring, which the company used at one point between 1997 and 2000.
And thereâs another twist: although foreign fighters Ilia Topuria and Alex Pereira are headlining the card, theyâll also be competing while representing American colours.
Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC
The full lineup for the UFC White House event was announced during the UFC 326 broadcast back in March. While some fans had hoped for a bit more star power, the card still offers plenty to look forward to.
Headlining the night, Topuria will face Justin Gaethje to unify the lightweight belts, while Pereira steps up to heavyweight to take on Ciryl Gane with an interim title on the line.
Sean OâMalley and Michael Chandler are also set to represent the US on June 14. The fight kits theyâll be wearing were recently unveiled, and this time around, every fighterâregardless of nationalityâwill be sporting a uniform based on American colours.
Complex Sports shared a video from a photoshoot featuring fighters posing in these new kits. The design is consistent across all fighters, each kit clearly inspired by the American flag.
This means that even international stars like Topuria and Pereira will be wearing US-themed gear for this event, which is a change from their usual custom shorts that fans have become accustomed to seeing.
UFC Freedom 250 is a special event celebrating 250 years of American independence, taking place in June on the White House lawn.
They are swapping their custom shorts for US kits as part of the patriotic theme of the UFC Freedom 250 event.
UFC Freedom 250 will feature a return to the six-sided ring, which was previously used by the promotion between 1997 and 2000.
Cast your vote for Greater Cincinnati's athlete of the week by May 11!

College Sports Commission secures victory in NIL arbitration for Nebraska players
Delhi Capitals climb to seventh in IPL 2026 after a win over Punjab Kings.

Five-star OT Mark Matthews to announce commitment this Friday
Why Andy Pages Deserves an All-Star Spot This Season
Buffalo Bills to face NFC powerhouse for their 2026 home opener!
See every story in Sports â including breaking news and analysis.
It hasnât taken long for fans to start weighing in on the special kits designed for the upcoming event at the White House lawn.
A lot of them havenât been impressed, mainly because Ilia Topuria and Alex Pereira wonât be wearing their usual custom shorts.
âThey probably used AI to design these.â
âThe colours are great but the stripes look like trash.â
âNooooooooooooooo @Topuriailia what happened to the red shorts.â
âLooks like the American swim team competing for gold.â
âThese are horrible.â
âThis is a joke. Let the fighters wear their custom kits.â
But not everyone agreed. Others praised the designs, especially given the context of a US-themed card at one of Americaâs most iconic locations.
âAinât no way Pereira and Topuria are wearing those instead of their customs.â
Read more: