The estimated salaries have been revealed for this weekend’s UFC Freedom 250 event, which was held on the grounds of the White House and main evented by Justin Gaethje challenging Ilia Topuria for his lightweight title.

Despite there being serious weather warnings all week building up to the event, mother nature played ball and the storms and the rain avoided the White House altogether, although there was a minor delay at the start of the night.

Once the action got underway, it was quite simply a night to remember. All seven fights failed to go the distance, with knockouts and stoppages galore, and it was closed out by one of the biggest shocks in UFC history as Gaethje stopped Topuria ahead of the final round, becoming the lightweight champion in the process.

Aside from a minor sour note put on the event by Josh Hokit’s post-fight interview, overall it was a booming success for Dana White and the UFC. Having said that, though, it wasn’t successful enough to make him consider doing it for a second time, as after the show, he confirmed that it’s something he would never do again.

Justin Gaethje Defeated Ilia Topuria

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In the final bout of the evening, Gaethje came out victorious after a brutal combination in round three led to the opposing team throwing the towel in on Topuria’s behalf. This secured a stunning upset victory for the American, who defied the odds as the heavy-betting underdog heading into the contest.

It has now been revealed that the Georgian amazingly escaped with no serious facial injuries or breaks, despite it looking like that was the case. Either way, he will be out for a while to recover, no doubt.

Ciryl Gane Spoiled Alex Pereira’s Heavyweight Debut

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In the co-main event, Ciryl Gane defeated Alex Pereira via TKO to become the interim UFC heavyweight champion.

Alarm bells were ringing for the Brazilian after a strong jab from his opponent dropped him in the second round, and a series of blows and hammerfists later resulted in referee Herb Dean stopping the contest, which could have come at any point, truth be told.

Gane has now set up a possible title unification fight against Tom Aspinall, who is still absent since his last contest with the Frenchman which ended in a nasty double eye poke back in October.

UFC Freedom 250 Results

Elsewhere on the card, Diego Lopes kicked off the event with the nasty finish of American Steve Garcia. This was followed by Bo Nickal putting in an emphatic performance as he defeated Kyle Daukaus.

Michael Chandler was then destroyed by Mauricio Ruffy, and Josh Hokit breezed through his encounter with Derrick Lewis in a top-ranked heavyweight clash. Next up on the South Lawn was Sean O’Malley, who delivered a pronounced performance by defeating Aiemann Zahabi in the second round of their bantamweight clash, before calling for a shot to reclaim the title.

UFC Freedom 250 Earnings

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Pereira, despite defeat, walked out with the largest total purse at $10,000,000 for his unexpectedly short night. The man who beat him, meanwhile, brought home $1,225,000.

The main eventers were the next highest earners behind Pereira. Gaethje earned $2,925,000, while his defeated opponent took home $2,500,000, which may soften the blow of his damaging defeat.

Elsewhere, O’Malley was paid $650,000 for his comprehensive victory over Aimann Zahabi, who only received $75,000 for his defeat. Kyle Daukaus was the reported lowest earner with $70,000 sent his way following his defeat to Bo Nickal.

Newcastle United are entering the summer transfer window with hopes of refreshing the squad with a few fresh faces, as reports have emerged over interest in a World Cup star.

The Magpies have already conducted some quick business in the transfer market, with Anthony Gordon’s move to Barcelona quickly being followed up by the signing of promising goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen.

Other moves could be on the cards, with plenty of exit links appearing next to some other potential moves, particularly in the forward areas.

Victor Munoz is a key target to replace Gordon, while a fresh target has emerged for the defensive line heading into this opening of the window.

Newcastle Want Australia Star Alessandro Circati

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With potential defenders on the radar for Newcastle, a report from Italian outlet ParmaToday claims that Australia and Parma star Alessandro Circati has emerged as an option this summer.

The ‘underrated’ 22-year-old is believed to be a target for the Magpies, who have been “closely monitoring” the defender’s progress in recent months, which includes his recent performances at the World Cup with his national team.

Circati started for Australia in their World Cup opening group stage game against Turkiye, where they ran out as surprise 2-0 winners over the European nation, who were deemed as favourites for the clash.

It was a win characterised by the defensive solidity on show from Australia, with Circati starting as part of a back three that looked to snuff out any opportunities for the opposition.

The report claims that the defender is a “hero” for his performances for both club and country, having caught the eye in his time in Serie A before he got his eventual World Cup call-up.

That means not only Newcastle are interested in Circati, though it is unclear what Parma’s stance will be on a possible sale this summer.

Who Is Alessandro Circati?

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Alessandro Circati has appeared on the radar of plenty of teams, including Newcastle, as his reputation within football continues to rise on the global stage.

He is a 22-year-old right-footed centre-back who was born in Fidenza, Italy, but moved to Australia at the age of one, where he grew up through his early life.

Circati came through the Perth SC and Perth Glory youth teams, making plenty of appearances before he was linked with a return to Italy in 2021.

The youngster joined Parma in Serie A, making several appearances for the youth side before making his senior debut in 2022, where he has since cemented himself as a regular starter.

While Circati represented Italy at the youth level, he declared for Australia in 2023, and has made 14 appearances for the Socceroos, with plenty more to come.

Spain midfielder Rodri has received some strong criticism for his comments in the immediate aftermath of his country’s 0-0 draw against Cape Verde.

La Roja opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with an underwhelming draw against the third-smallest nation to ever participate. Despite enjoying the lion’s share of the possession and taking 27 shots, they just couldn’t force the ball past 40-year-old Vozinha.

With games against Saudi Arabia and Uruguay still to come, Spain will now be under pressure to get points on the board. As one of the favourites to win the entire competition, Cape Verde would’ve been viewed as an ideal opportunity to secure three points early.

Rodri Appears to Aim Dig at Cape Verde

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Rodri cut a frustrated figure in his post-match interview and he ended up landing himself in hot water with social media users. The Ballon d’Or winner did admit his teammates didn’t do enough to get the win, as he said:

After bemoaning Spain’s own shortcomings, the midfield metronome then aimed what many have taken as a dig at their opponents. Rodri pointed out how Cape Verde struggled to get into the Spain half, saying: “That’s how they play. They don’t get past midfield. It’s a matter of improving our finishing.”

Rodri Labelled ‘Salty’ For Cape Verde Dig

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Social media was in a state of shock after the surprise result. Many took aim at Rodri for his ‘salty’ comments, with one fan replying: “This brother has never given credit to any team that beats or frustrates his team. He’s always salty and cries about everything.”

“Since bro won the Ballon d’Or, he speaks with so much ego,” another added. Others were shocked at what the Manchester City ace expected: “How did Rodri want the opponent to play against almighty Spain?”

The 29-year-old appears to be getting a reputation for not taking negative results well. One supporter said: “Rodri is always talking and talking after draws and losses,” while another added: “Not like Rodri to be salty after a disappointing result.”

Some took it as a dig at his own teammate Ferran Torres, who failed to score despite having many chances. It was suggested: “Rodri is throwing indirect shades at Ferran Torres after his terrible performance against Cape Verde.”