UFC Freedom 250 is already shaping up to be one of the most uniquely staged events in the promotion’s history. Scheduled for June 14, the card is part of a year-long celebration for America’s 250th birthday. However, Dana White also specifically chose the date to coincide with Flag Day and President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday.
The main event, a lightweight title unification bout between undisputed champion Ilia Topuria and interim titleholder Justin Gaethje, gives the card all the marquee value it needs.
However, the UFC boss recently complicated the situation by announcing Arman Tsarukyan as the backup fighter, a move that could potentially derail the planned headliner if he is called to step in.
Dana White Names Arman Tsarukyan as Official Backup for Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje
White recently sat down for a chill livestream with Nina Drama, where he dropped a bomb that nobody expected.
“So somebody said ask about Arman’s next fight,” White said during the stream. “Arman is the backup for the White House fight. So if anything happens to that fight, Arman’s in there. So yeah, there you go.”
🚨 Dana White just announced that Arman Tsarukyan is the OFFICIAL backup fighter for Ilia Topuria vs Justin Gaethje at the White House 👀
(via @Ninadrama) pic.twitter.com/kryrZwIl3Z
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) May 8, 2026
With that, White officially confirmed that Tsarukyan, the No. 2-ranked contender at 155 pounds, will serve as the backup for the UFC Freedom 250 lightweight title main event. As part of the arrangement, Tsarukyan will be paid to train and make weight at the 155-pound limit. If either Topuria or Gaethje cannot compete, Tsarukyan steps in to fight for the belt.
The announcement did not come from nowhere. After beating Urijah Faber at RAF 08, Tsarukyan had already declared his intentions: “I’ll be waiting for the White House to see how Ilia Topuria performs. Yes, I’ll be a backup. I’ll stay on a diet starting in May. If something happens, if someone gets injured, I can step in on a week or two’s notice.”
He added plainly, “Gaethje pulls out, I fight Topuria, take the belt, and kick him out of the UFC. That’s my goal.”
White’s confirmation on Friday just made that possibility official. This is where the tension lies. Because Tsarukyan is so vocal about wanting Gaethje to drop out so he can take the title himself, many fans worry his involvement could distract from or even derail the historic matchup.
Tsarukyan, 29, holds a pro record of 23-3, with nine knockouts and six submissions. He sits at No. 13 on the UFC’s pound-for-pound list and has been building serious momentum since submitting Dan Hooker in Round 2 at UFC Qatar in November 2025. He is the second-best lightweight on the planet standing five weeks away from a potential title shot. So, it is hard to consider him as a gatekeeper.
Why Dana White’s Tsarukyan Gamble Raises the Stakes for Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje
Arman Tsarukyan’s road to the title has never been smooth. He was pulled from a scheduled fight against then-champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 in January 2025 due to a back injury.
Later that year, he drew criticism for headbutting Dan Hooker at the UFC Qatar ceremonial weigh-ins. These delays gave Gaethje the chance to jump ahead and take the unification spot.
However, on The Ariel Helwani Show, he argued that a fight between him and Topuria at the White House would be a massive 50/50 draw because both fighters are in their prime.
He said, “Can you imagine me versus Ilia on the White House? Everybody’s going to talk about that fight. Because we are both young and in our prime. And 50% are going to think I’m going to win, 50% are going to think Ilia is going to win, and it’s going to be like a massive fight.”
However, this isn’t a new position for him because he also weighed in as the backup for Topuria’s fight against Charles Oliveira at UFC 317, but never had to step in. Being the UFC White House card main event backup keeps Tsarukyan relevant and next in line for the title. If he doesn’t fight on June 14, White says the UFC will announce his next matchup shortly after.
While the division benefits either way, a vocal segment of fans seems interested in the chaos. And if Gaethje misses weight or suffers a last-minute injury, the UFC’s historic South Lawn event gets a very different and much more personal main event.
