Gaethje takes home USD 825,000 bonus for win against Topuria

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Justin Gaethje not only clinched the Performance of the Night award, but he also got the bag after collecting a total of USD 825,000 (PHP 49,795,350) in bonuses following his impressive title-snatching win over Ilia Topuria in the main event of UFC Freedom 250 in the early hours of June 15, 2026, at the White House South Lawn in Washington, D.C.

For the once-in-a-lifetime UFC event at the White House, UFC President Dana White and the rest of the board decided to increase the Fight of the Night bonus to USD 400,000 (PHP 24,142,800) and the Performance of the Night bonus to USD 425,000 (PHP 25,651,725).

However, it remains unknown whether the fight promotion will revert to its usual prize of USD 100,000 (PHP 6,035,750) for both the Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night bonuses once it returns to its usual business, excluding the White House deal.

Gaethje earned the massive bonus by dethroning Topuria in stunning fashion, scoring a fourth-round technical knockout win during their undisputed lightweight championship bout.

Entering the main event showdown as a huge underdog, Gaethje surprised the MMA world with his precise stand-up striking that shattered Topuria’s 17-fight winning streak in the UFC.

“It was the Fight of the Night,” White said during the post-fight press conference.

“Fight of the Year? Whatever. It was one of the greatest fights we’ve seen. It was incredible. When you have a guy who is an underdog and comes in with that.”

For the first time since fighting in the UFC, Topuria’s face was battered and disfigured as he received a barrage of punches that landed at will for four straight rounds.

After absorbing brutal punishment from the get-go, Topuria’s corner put an end to its fighter’s misery between the fourth and fifth rounds by throwing in the towel.

“I prayed so much for this opportunity to do something legendary,” Gaethje said.

“I told myself I was going to lose. I told myself I was going to get embarrassed. So that I could go to my most primal place and dig deep. And I had to. That guy had me in trouble. He had me rocked. He rocked my chin, smoked my liver. And I stuck in it.”