Arizona native captures UFC lightweight championship at historic White House event

That might be a reach, but there will certainly never be another one. The series of fights celebrated this year's 250th anniversary of the United States. It took place on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Sunday.

Two UFC fighters with close ties to Arizona were part of the fight card, including Safford native Justin Gaethje, who was in one of the two title bouts.

Sean O'Malley, who trains out of Peoria, also fought.

Gaethje dethroned former two-division champion Ilia Topuria to claim the undisputed lightweight championship in a shocking upset.

O'Malley had a knockout win over Aiemann Zahabi, his first since 2023.

Gaethje, 37, is heading into the twilight of his career. He called the chance to be part of the main event in UFC Freedom 250 "an absolute dream come true." He was considered the underdog against lightweight champion Topuria.

Gaethje had a plan for getting to UFC Freedom 250. With his win over Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324 in January, he figured he'd either get a shot at Topuria at the White House or get the winner of another fight.

"I look back to when I left Safford to go to college in 2007," Gaethje told the Arizona Republic. "I couldn't ever have imagined that my life would lead to this moment. It's actually really, really special. It's special for me, really special for my family, really special for that small community and for Arizona in general."

"I come from the middle of nowhere," he said at the prefight press conference on May 8. "To be able to represent this country at this level, at this moment in my career, is something that I could never have dreamt of. My first fight ever was outside and one of my last fights will be outside."

Gaethje is sure to be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame, with his 27-5 record and numerous memorable fights with stars of the sport. He once said he wanted to break his own nose so he could finally hear what his voice really sounds like, because he needed a nasal drip to sleep at night.

Known for his on-the-attack style and positive outlook even in defeat, Gaethje thrives in bloody and all-action brawls. He's won 14 performance bonuses because he can't help but go full speed every time, which fans enjoy.

Gaethje has also been outspoken about how much — or how little — athletes in UFC are paid.

"To have 14 bonuses and not equal up to a million dollars, it's not right," he said in January. "I should have had opportunities to do smarter things with my money, but I don't, and I haven't.

"The best thing I did was probably invest in a commercial property. I purchased a house in Arizona that's like a mile away from my parents."

Family means a lot to Gaethje, and he has said he is grateful to have been able to take his parents and family on vacations and make memories with them with the money he's made in fighting.

After winning two state wrestling titles at Safford High School, Gaethje wrestled at Northern Colorado University. He was that program's first All-American since 1970.

"Being a wrestler from there (Safford) was special because we were all so tough," Gaethje told the Republic. "My dad and his friend started a club team when I was 4 years old, and there was a lot of kids that went through there. And we took pride in going to the city and whipping up on those city kids."

Gaethje made his MMA debut in August 2011, then joined UFC in 2017.

"Any time a sport can cause the White House or any other national entity normally locked down to do a fight there, it shows UFC and mixed martial arts ... has rapidly grown," former MMA star Tyron Woodley told NewsBettingSites.uk.

Woodley wouldn't answer a question about whether UFC aligning with President Donald Trump makes the event too political, saying only that he doesn't talk politics. The event took place on Trump's birthday.