Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane came face-to-face for the first time at the White House ahead of their upcoming clash at UFC Freedom 250.
The staredown took place directly on the South Lawn on Wednesday, the same location where the two are expected to compete on June 14 in Washington, D.C. “Poatan” is set to challenge Gane for the interim heavyweight championship in a fight that could make him the first athlete in UFC history to capture titles across three different weight classes.
Images and footage from the faceoff quickly spread online after Pereira’s longtime coach and former UFC champion Glover Teixeira shared clips from the meeting on social media.
The White House appearance wasn’t limited to the co-main event fighters. Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje, who are expected to headline the card in a lightweight title unification bout, were also present in Washington as part of the promotional activities surrounding the historic event.
All four fighters later met with Donald Trump inside the Oval Office as preparations continues for the highly-anticipated fight card on White House grounds.
The event itself is expected to transform the South Lawn into a temporary outdoor arena featuring a custom-built setup, large viewing screens, and seating for thousands of attendees. Additional fans are expected to gather at Ellipse Park nearby, where tens of thousands of free viewing tickets are planned to be distributed.