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Jackson's UFC Freedom 250 fight card predictions. Free picks and winning method predictions for all seven fights at UFC Freedom 250 on July 14, 2026.
After a long wait, the UFC Freedom 250 fight card on the White House Lawn is finally here! The card will take place on Sunday, June 14, and is meant as a celebration of the 250th "birthday" of the United States. The card is stacked from top to bottom and loaded with knockout artists. This is a must-watch UFC event if there ever was one.
There are 12 ranked fighters on the card, meaning the title picture for several divisions could see shake-ups based on Sunday night's results.
Check out these full UFC Freedom 250 fight card predictions ahead!
(2) Diego Lopes vs. (9) Steve Garcia
Division: Featherweight
Lopes is 8-3 in his last 11 fights, with the three losses coming against the best featherweights in the world (Alexander Volkanovski twice and Movsar Evloev). His victory over Jean Silva last September tells us he's one of the best in the division, making his bout with Steve Garcia, a winner of seven straight, a great matchup. Lopes needs this win to stay in the title picture, while Garcia could enter it with a big victory in the nation's capital.
Diego Lopes weighed in for his featherweight fight one hour ago at 146lbs.
One hour later, he makes a 2nd weigh-in to be the backup for the lightweight title fight 🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/Jt5EKNWsdW
— MMA On Point (@mmaonpoint) June 13, 2026
Ultimately, we think Lopes' all-around skill set will be too much for Garcia, who hasn't been in there with a guy at this level. If Garcia wins, he's becoming a real threat in the deep featherweight division.
Prediction: Lopes by Round 3 KO
Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus
Division: Middleweight
Daukaus has won the first two fights in his second stint in the UFC, and both fights ended in finishes inside the first minute of action. On Flag Day, he'll match up with one of the hottest UFC prospects, former decorated collegiate wrestler Bo Nickal.
Bo Nickal with a massive head kick knockout against Rodolfo Vieira 💀
HEAD KICK. DEAD. #UFC322
pic.twitter.com/oyb130CuUv— Delinquent MMA (@DelinquentMMA) November 16, 2025
Nickal began his MMA career with seven straight wins before running into Reinier de Ridder, but he bounced back with a head kick KO win over Rodolfo Vieira. Vegas leans heavily toward Nickal winning here, and we agree. Nickal continues to add more skills to his arsenal. He needs this one to keep the hype train rolling.
Prediction: Nickal by Decision
(9) Mauricio Ruffy vs. (13) Michael Chandler
Division: Lightweight
Chandler is 1-5 in his last six fights, and he indeed entered the UFC after his prime in Bellator. However, he remains one of the most exciting fighters in the promotion. Unfortunately for him, a matchup with the dangerous Mauricio Ruffy is on the agenda.
Michael Chandler and Mauricio Ruffy go face-to-face one last time ahead of #UFCWhiteHouse. pic.twitter.com/kX2s8YvMcm
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) June 14, 2026
Ruffy is a tremendous knockout artist, and if Chandler performs recklessly as usual, it could be a short night in the octagon. Let's just hope we get a fun couple of rounds of action. If Chandler finally decides to use his wrestling, he might have a shot. Perhaps the chance to score an impressive win near the end of his career while representing America will give him the motivation to do so. But ultimately, he fights to entertain, which has been a problem for him lately against dangerous strikers.
Prediction: Ruffy by Round 2 KO
(5) Josh Hokit vs. (9) Derrick Lewis
Division: Heavyweight
In just his third official UFC bout, Hokit defeated Curtis Blaydes in one of the greatest and most exciting heavyweight fights of all time. Just two months later, he's slated to step into the octagon with the Black Beast, Derrick Lewis. Hokit could be next in line for a title shot with a win, but is a short turnaround fight against the UFC's all-time knockout leader a good idea? We'll find out.
Imagine if Derrick Lewis actually pulled it off pic.twitter.com/VZp4MfjxLb
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) June 13, 2026
We're predicting Lewis to deliver one final big-time KO in his legendary career. If the fight goes past Round 1, Lewis will probably gas out, though. Hokit is a win or two away from a potential title shot. Losing to the 41-year-old Lewis here would be a big step back.
Prediction: Lewis by Round 1 KO
(3) Sean O'Malley vs. (6) Aiemann Zahabi
Division: Bantamweight
O'Malley is 19-1 against all MMA opponents not named Merab Dvalishvili. An elite-level wrestler with an unlimited gas tank appears to be his Achilles heel, but Zahabi is not that.
Sean O'Malley says he told the UFC he was willing to fight anyone at the White House:
"I told the UFC 'I would love to fight at the White House. I will fight anybody at the White House. I'll fight Ilia, I will fight Islam, I will fight Khabib'."
(via @SugaSeanMMA) https://t.co/iczWiwnqrc pic.twitter.com/1RRmOHZkBV
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) March 8, 2026
O'Malley is a problem for any Bantamweight on the feet, and a win at UFC Freedom 250 could put him back in a title fight, especially if Petr Yan remains the champion by the time his opportunity rolls around. O'Malley pieces Zahabi up here. He'll be fishing for a knockout, but it's been a while, and Zahabi is a smart defensive striker.
Prediction: O'Malley by Decision
(2) Alex Pereira vs. (1) Ciryl Gane
Division: Heavyweight (Interim Title Fight)
Alex "Poatan" Pereira is competing to be the first three-division champion in UFC history on the day he makes his heavyweight debut. Nobody except Israel Adesanya has had a chance against him on the feet, but don't count out Ciryl Gane, an elite striker in his own right.
Heavyweight Alex Pereira 1 day out!!!#UFCWhiteHouse pic.twitter.com/GIvuVNp1PR
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) June 13, 2026
Gane is likely going to be faster at heavyweight and potentially more accurate, but all Pereira needs is one clean shot on the button to end his night. This could be a classic power versus precision showcase. We're not betting against Poatan. The winner of this one should fight Tom Aspinall next, assuming his eye injury has progressed enough for him to step back into the octagon.
Prediction: Alex Pereira by Round 3 KO
(c) Ilia Topuria vs. (1) Justin Gaethje
Division: Lightweight (Title Fight)
Fresh off a dominant showing against Paddy Pimblett, Gaethje gets another title opportunity and headlines the White House card. His last two undisputed title fights came against Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira. And it won't get any easier as he steps in against Ilia Topuria, who has knocked out Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Oliveira in his last three fights.
Ilia Topuria already celebrated a win over Gaethje last night with all his friends and family
🗣️ “Tomorrow, it’s not a victory we have to earn. Victory is already ours.”
Oleksandr Usyk was there 👀 pic.twitter.com/mR0OnmQYSV
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) June 14, 2026
Topuria has already put together a Hall of Fame career, and he'll likely add another knockout of a legend to his resume in the night's final fight. He's calling for a knockout win inside two minutes, and based on what we've seen in the past, that's not out of the realm of possibilities.
Gaethje finding a way to win this one would be an all-time upset and UFC moment. It's just too difficult to pick against Topuria at this point.
Prediction: Topuria by Round 1 KO
UFC Freedom 250 Picks
- Topuria by Round 1 KO
- Pereira by Round 3 KO
- O'Malley by Decision
- Lewis by Round 1 KO
- Ruffy by Round 2 KO
- Nickal by Decision
- Lopes by Round 3 KO
