How UFC White House Card Compares To Biggest UFC Events Ever

The UFC has had some legendary moments over the years, with UFC Freedom 250 a potential addition.

Jeff Bottari-Zuffa LL

With UFC Freedom 250 set for Sunday night, the UFC will add another monumental chapter to its storied history when the seven-fight card, which is headlined by two title fights, comes and goes from the South Lawn of The White House in Washington, D.C.

In its nearly 33-year history, there have been tons of events that have defined the UFC. To pick five is certainly up for debate, but in looking at a list, it comes down to three criteria: star power, eras, and a relation to today’s UFC.

Without further ado, here are five UFC events that can be categorized in a similar context as UFC Freedom 250.

Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

1. UFC 1: The Beginning (Nov. 12, 1993)

Discussing UFC Freedom 250 would be disingenuous without rewinding to the beginning of the promotion’s history.

In Denver, Colorado, Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner Royce Gracie demonstrated that ground fighting was the premier mixed martial art in combat sports, after much of the American narrative held that boxing claimed the top spot. It was also billed as an NHB (No Holds Barred) event, marking its distinct unpredictability and intrigue by the thousands who purchased it on pay-per-view. As at the White House event, the excitement of the unknown remains a factor, just as it did over three decades ago.

2.     UFC 229: Khabib vs. McGregor (Oct. 6, 2018)

The fight with the most pay-per-view buys in UFC history (2.4 million) occurred nearly eight years ago at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The hype around the event was centered around the lightweight main event between then-champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and former two-division champion Conor McGregor. Even though Nurmagomedov won impressively, it was the post-fight antics from Nurmagomedov that were a potential turnoff for a more casual audience. With the controversy surrounding the White House event and whether it should or shouldn’t happen from a political standpoint, it mirrors UFC 229 and its darker build to one of the most important events in UFC history to this day.

3.     UFC 100: Making History (July 11, 2009)

One of the UFC’s biggest milestones in the Zuffa era came in July 2009 with UFC 100. It’s an event that showcased the power of crossover stardom when former WWE superstar Brock Lesnar beat Frank Mir to defend the heavyweight title in their main event rematch.

Add in an effortless performance from then-UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St.-Pierre in a unanimous decision win over Thiago Alves and a devastating knockout from middleweight Dan Henderson over Michael Bisping to usher in 1.3 million buys, and that’s a recipe for an unforgettable night of UFC action.

4.     UFC 205: Alvarez vs. McGregor (Nov. 12, 2016)

With Madison Square Garden in New York as its backdrop, UFC 205 marked a historic milestone for the promotion as it finally hosted an event in New York State for the first time. The main event saw Conor McGregor reach global superstar status by becoming the first two-division champion in company history, leading to a one-off boxing match against Floyd Mayweather Jr. the following August (4.3 million buys).

Oct 6, 2018; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Khabib Nurmagomedov (red gloves) fights Conor McGregor (blue gloves) during UFC 229 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

5.     UFC 66: Liddell vs. Ortiz 2 (Dec. 30, 2006)

The UFC’s biggest rivalry of the 2000s finally reached a boiling point when Chuck Liddell defended his UFC Light Heavyweight Championship vs. Tito Ortiz from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The event is known as the promotion’s first to surpass 1 million buys, garnering national media attention and cementing Liddell as one of the UFC’s most influential fighters during its rise to prominence.

All in all, the UFC has previously held big fights. UFC Freedom 250 appears to be a new entry on a highly selective list.

Come fight night, we’ll see if the card delivers.