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Alex Pereira and Ilia Topuria to swap custom shorts for US kits at UFC White House
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- Alex Pereira and Ilia Topuria to swap custom shorts for US kits at UFC White House
Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC
When the UFC Octagon arrives in Washington D.C. this June, it won’t just be another fight night – everyone will be wearing red, white, and blue.
The promotion is hosting a special event on the White House lawn to mark 250 years of American independence, with military personnel and VIPs in attendance.
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UFC Freedom 250 will also see a return to the six-sided ring, which the company used at one point between 1997 and 2000.
And there’s another twist: although foreign fighters Ilia Topuria and Alex Pereira are headlining the card, they’ll also be competing while representing American colours.
Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC
Ilia Topuria and Alex Pereira pose in special UFC White House fight kits
The full lineup for the UFC White House event was announced during the UFC 326 broadcast back in March. While some fans had hoped for a bit more star power, the card still offers plenty to look forward to.
Headlining the night, Topuria will face Justin Gaethje to unify the lightweight belts, while Pereira steps up to heavyweight to take on Ciryl Gane with an interim title on the line.
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Sean O’Malley and Michael Chandler are also set to represent the US on June 14. The fight kits they’ll be wearing were recently unveiled, and this time around, every fighter—regardless of nationality—will be sporting a uniform based on American colours.
Complex Sports shared a video from a photoshoot featuring fighters posing in these new kits. The design is consistent across all fighters, each kit clearly inspired by the American flag.
This means that even international stars like Topuria and Pereira will be wearing US-themed gear for this event, which is a change from their usual custom shorts that fans have become accustomed to seeing.
Fans Split Over UFC White House Fight Kits
It hasn’t taken long for fans to start weighing in on the special kits designed for the upcoming event at the White House lawn.
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A lot of them haven’t been impressed, mainly because Ilia Topuria and Alex Pereira won’t be wearing their usual custom shorts.
“They probably used AI to design these.”
“The colours are great but the stripes look like trash.”
“Nooooooooooooooo @Topuriailia what happened to the red shorts.”
“Looks like the American swim team competing for gold.”
“These are horrible.”
“This is a joke. Let the fighters wear their custom kits.”
But not everyone agreed. Others praised the designs, especially given the context of a US-themed card at one of America’s most iconic locations.
“Ain’t no way Pereira and Topuria are wearing those instead of their customs.”
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