TLDR
- Colby Covington predicts Justin Gaethje will be badly beaten by Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14
- Covington called Topuria ‘the best fighter on the planet right now’ and cited his recent finishes of Holloway, Volkanovski, and Oliveira
- The fight takes place at the White House for America’s 250th birthday celebration
- Covington criticized UFC for not booking more favorable matchups for American fighters on the card
- Topuria is undefeated at 17-0 and captured the lightweight title by knocking out Charles Oliveira in June 2025
Sources: bjpenn.com | mmajunkie.usatoday.com
Colby Covington believes Justin Gaethje is headed for a brutal defeat when he faces Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14. The former welterweight title challenger expressed his concerns about the matchup during a recent appearance on Daniel Cormier’s YouTube channel.
The event will take place at the White House and features a lightweight title unification bout between champion Topuria and interim champion Gaethje. Covington, a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump, was not included on the card despite his political connections.
Colby Covington believes Ilia Topuria will finish Justin Gaethje within a minute 👀😲
"I see Ilia knocking him out within a minute. I don’t think Justin will last longer than a minute. The way he ducks his head, Ilia’s going to land an uppercut on him, and he’s going to send him… pic.twitter.com/EeGpVEebiB
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) January 31, 2026
Covington Questions UFC’s Matchmaking Decisions
Covington criticized the UFC’s decision to book the fight, calling it unfavorable for the American fighter. “You’d think that there’d be more American fighters on it from top to bottom,” Covington said on the show.
He described the matchup as sending Gaethje “out there to get slaughtered.” Covington praised Topuria’s recent performances, calling him “the best fighter on the planet right now.”
Topuria holds an undefeated 17-0 record in his MMA career, with a 9-0 mark in the UFC. The Georgian-Spanish fighter has finished his recent opponents in devastating fashion.
In June 2025, Topuria captured the UFC Lightweight Championship by knocking out Charles Oliveira in the first round. Before that, he defeated Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway at featherweight.
Age and Timing Favor Champion
Covington pointed to the age difference and career trajectories of both fighters as key factors. “He’s in his prime, and Gaethje’s on his way down,” Covington stated.
“There’s no beating father time,” he added. Gaethje currently holds a 27-5 record overall and 10-5 in the UFC.
Gaethje earned his interim title by defeating Paddy Pimblett while Topuria was on hiatus. The American fighter has built a reputation for both absorbing damage and delivering spectacular finishes throughout his career.
Covington also criticized another matchup on the Freedom 250 card. He mentioned that 41 or 42-year-old Michael Chandler is “a punching bag now” and is being “sent to slaughter on our birthday for America.”
The former title challenger expressed approval for Sean O’Malley’s inclusion on the card. “I’m happy Sean O’Malley is on there. He’s going to put on a good show for sure,” Covington said.
Covington believes the UFC should have featured “more Americans and bigger fights” on the card celebrating America’s 250th birthday. He suggested there were better American fighters who could have been booked for the historic White House event.
Topuria has publicly vowed to finish Gaethje early in the fight. The champion enters the bout as a heavy favorite according to oddsmakers.
The UFC Freedom 250 event on June 14 will mark the first time the promotion has held an event at the White House. The lightweight title unification bout will serve as the main event for the historic card.
