Ultimate Fighting Championship and Crypto.com are officially raising the stakes for the upcoming UFC Freedom 250 card at the White House.
The historic event, scheduled for June 14, will now feature a massive $1 million bonus pool for fighters competing on the card, making it one of the biggest bonus packages in UFC history.
Dana White Calls It “The Most Historic Sporting Event”
UFC President Dana White announced that Crypto.com will fund the bonus system as part of the company’s 10-year anniversary celebration.
According to White, the event itself is already unlike anything the UFC has attempted before.
“This is the most historic sporting event in history,” White said during the official announcement. “Crypto.com is giving fighters the biggest bonus in UFC history, with $1 million on the line.”
The event will take place directly on the grounds of the White House as part of America’s 250th anniversary celebrations.
How The $1 Million Bonus Will Work
The bonus structure is expected to go far beyond the UFC’s normal post-fight awards.
Reports indicate that the Fight of the Night winners will split $600,000, while two Performance of the Night bonuses will reportedly award $200,000 each.
The money will be paid in CRO, the native cryptocurrency token connected to the Cronos blockchain ecosystem.
The bonus package is separate from the UFC’s regular fight purses and traditional bonuses.
Sean O’Malley Already Wants The Bonus
Sean O’Malley has already publicly reacted to the announcement.
Speaking with TMZ Sports, O’Malley said he is aiming for a highlight-reel finish to potentially secure one of the huge payouts.
“I need to get a beautiful knockout,” O’Malley said. “There’s a million-dollar crypto bonus supposedly. I would love to get that.”
UFC Freedom 250 Is Loaded With Major Fights
The White House event is expected to feature one of the biggest UFC lineups in recent memory.
The main event will see lightweight champion Ilia Topuria defend his title against interim champion Justin Gaethje.
Meanwhile, former two-division champion Alex Pereira is reportedly set to move up again in an attempt to capture a third UFC title against former interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane.
The card is also expected to feature Sean O’Malley, Diego Lopes and several other major UFC names.
Crypto And Combat Sports Continue To Grow Together
The UFC and Crypto.com partnership originally began in 2021 when Crypto.com became the UFC’s first official fight kit sponsor.
Since then, cryptocurrency branding has become increasingly visible throughout combat sports.
Now, with a White House event, a million-dollar bonus pool and some of the UFC’s biggest stars attached to the card, UFC Freedom 250 is shaping up to be one of the most unique events in MMA history.
Who Will Be Fighting at the White House (UFC Freedom 250)?
UFC Freedom 250 is expected to feature one of the most unique fight cards in MMA history, with the Octagon reportedly planned for the White House grounds in Washington DC.
Several major UFC stars are currently attached to the event, including champions, former title challengers and top-ranked contenders.
UFC Freedom 250 Fight Card
- Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje (Lightweight Title Bout)
- Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane (Interim Heavyweight Title Bout)
- Sean O’Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi (Bantamweight Bout)
- Josh Hokit vs. Derrick Lewis (Heavyweight Bout)
- Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler (Lightweight Bout)
- Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus (Middleweight Bout)
- Diego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia (Featherweight Bout)
The event is currently expected to take place in Washington DC and has already generated major attention online because of the White House location, political crossover and high-profile UFC matchups.
