LAS VEGAS — Conor McGregor’s return against Max Holloway at UFC 329 ended unceremoniously at just 1:09 of the first round Saturday night because of a knee injury.

Fighting for the first time in more than five years, McGregor flew across the ring with a flying left roundhouse kick when the match started and landed awkwardly on his right knee.

After attempting to kick and strike Holloway (28-9-0) two more times, it was clear McGregor (22-7-0) couldn’t finish the scheduled five-round welterweight bout.

“My head gasket is gone. Destroyed,” . “I had no injury / injuries going into the fight. I was throwing kicks, planted and jumping, all throughout camp as well as backstage before the fight. This came out of nowhere. I am beyond dark here. I can only describe it as hell.”

Asked if there may have been an existing injury, UFC President Dana White said there were no signs of it Friday at the ceremonial weigh-in.

“Five years off in this sport is rough,” White said. “We’re assuming a blown ACL. That����ap what I assumed when I saw it, and that����ap what the doctors think, too.”

White added that with the millions of social-media views of McGregor rushing Holloway at the weigh-in, someone would have noticed if anyone was injured.

Holloway said he kept telling referee Mike Beltran to stop the fight because it was apparent McGregor was injured, but the former champion kept saying, “Fight!”

“During the fight, you could see his demeanor change,” Holloway said. “When I saw him hurt, I said, ‘Call this, he’s hurt.’

“I just hope for a speedy recovery.”

Holloway closed a -300 favorite at Bet MGM Sportsbook, which means a bettor would have to lay $300 to win $100. McGregor was a +240 underdog, which means a bettor would win $240 with a $100 wager on the Irishman.

McGregor, who strolled to the ring to the sounds of Notorious Biggie Smalls’ “Hypnotize” and the roar of the sold-out crowd, last fought exactly five years and a day before Saturday night.

The fans were also treated to Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham serving as a guest ring girl before the first round of the main event. White said it was decided eight minutes before she strolled around the cage in a black top and sequenced shorts, stopping occasionally to replicate her highly popular finger point from the recent game against the Phoenix Mercury.

To the delight of a frenzied audience just hours after his home country of England won its quarterfinal match over Norway in the World Cup, Liverpool’s Paddy Pimblett (24-4-0) made quick work of Benoit Saint Denis (17-4-0) with a first-round TKO. Pimblett, who closed a +120 underdog, blocked a roundhouse kick, shot in and quickly applied a D’Arce Choke to put Saint Denis to sleep for the win in 52 seconds.

“Light work,” Pimblett said with a smile at the post-fight press conference. “Mother (expletive) got slept.”

In a bantamweight battle, Mario Bautista (18-3-0) defeated Cory Sandhagen (18-7-0) by unanimous decision, after taking advantage of a first-round leg kick and applying pressure in each round after. A flurry of punches in the third round secured the decision.

In a scheduled three-round flyweight bout, Brandon Royval (18-9-0) applied a rear-naked choke on Lone’er Kavanagh (10-2-0) to win by submission at the 3:40 mark of the final round.

In an absolute shocker to start the main card, a bloodied King Green (36-17-0) overcame a beating for nearly the entire first round before landing a right hand to the jaw of Terrance McKinney (18-9-0) with roughly 20 seconds left, and then finished him off for a TKO at the 4:59 mark.

In 2008, Gaethje had recently moved to Colorado and had just finished his freshman year wrestling at UNC. That summer, he picked up MMA, and his first amateur fight came in a boxing ring at an outdoor venue in Denver. There, Gaethje needed just 26 seconds to win via

“The Highlight” was born.

“(My opponent) was out cold for like 8 minutes,” Gaethje recalled. “And it was terrifying. I thought I killed him. I had never knocked somebody out before. Doing that the first time, I got hooked to that adrenaline rush. That’s really when I first knew that fighting was for me.”

While that fight foretold Gaethje’s legacy, his win a few weeks ago — again under the stars, but this time on a global stage on the South Lawn of the White House with a title on the line — cemented it.

By beating previously undefeated and heavily favored Ilia Topuria to claim the undisputed UFC lightweight belt for the first time in his career, Gaethje’s monumental upset cemented his legacy as a combat sports legend. After the Lakewood resident’s victory via technical knockout, UFC boss Dana White called the fight of the night at UFC 250 “one of the greatest fights you’ll ever see.”

“I think the win definitely solidifies my story,” Gaethje said. “I fought the top of the top from Day 1 (in the UFC). I came in saying I was going to be the best in the world, and I came in asking (any opponent) to be my equal. I met my equal (several times); I learned from those losses. I kept on going and kept on working and to accomplish everything that I have accomplished, but finally attain the undisputed gold, that’s second to none.”

Overcoming drugs, starting MMA

As Gaethje’s head coach, Trevor Wittman, explained on the  the fighter went in the octagon outside the White House “and wrote a story that I don’t think will ever be forgotten.”

But before Gaethje pulled off one of the most shocking upsets in UFC history — and long before Gaethje emerged as a fan favorite — the Safford, Arizona, native grew up in a small mining town about two hours from the Mexican border.

Raised by blue-collar parents — dad John Ray worked at the nearby Morenci copper mine for 37 years, and mom Carolina spent 33 years with the postal service — Gaethje showed promise as a wrestler from a young age, and was also a football star as his high school’s quarterback and an all-state defensive back.

The summer after he finished high school, Gaethje worked 68 consecutive 14-hour days at the copper mine. When he left to go to UNC, a pair of his co-workers told him that he’d be back at the mine soon enough because he wouldn’t be able to cut it in Division I wrestling. Those doubters served as an early motivator, as did the desire not to spend his life doing manual labor in the mine.

“He knew how important it would be to go to school and pursue a degree (in human services),” John Ray Gaethje said. “That summer definitely made him realize he didn’t want to be working in the mines the rest of his life.”

Over the course of his upbringing, Gaethje admitted on the Joe Rogan Podcast that “I probably was a drug addict at one time in my life.” He said he lost “over a handful” of his childhood friends to drugs, but eventually realized his desire to compete on the mat and in the octagon superseded his need to chase a high.

“I always knew something was bigger for me and better for me, and that I had something to do (in fighting),” Gaethje said. “It was never a crutch for me. It was like, ‘That was awesome, and now I’m not doing it again.'”

In Greeley, then-UNC wrestling coach said the Bears got a “hidden gem” in Gaethje because he was under-recruited out of high school. The wrestling coaches soon realized that MMA fights were a powerful academic motivator for Gaethje.

He wasn’t training for MMA during his college days, but he did select amateur fights in the summertime, many of which were in Colorado and Arizona. Then-UFC heavyweight Shane Carwin lived in Greeley at the time, and Gaethje would jump in Carwin’s truck to drive down to the Denver area to get a front-row seat to Carwin’s training. That’s when Gaethje first met Wittman.

Gaethje, who was inducted into the UNC Hall of Fame in 2020, was a three-time NCAA Tournament qualifier and in 2010 became since the program rejoined Division I.

“He’s the most coachable athlete that I’ve ever worked with, but he did not like to go to class,” said Cherrington, who has been Gaethje’s longtime wrestling coach in the UFC. “So I made a deal with him that if he stayed eligible and kept up with his classwork, then I’d let him take some fights in the summer. He kept up his end, and those early fights were a springboard to the crazy success he had after turning pro.”

A smarter sort of chaos

Gaethje started his pre-UFC pro career 17-0, dominating smaller circuits and winning the belt in the World Series of Fighting before earning his UFC debut in 2017 . He won that bout via a second-round TKO on the main card of “The Ultimate Fighter 25” finale, but his car-crash fighting style — ironically defined by powerful striking and very little wrestling — would have to be adjusted.

He lost his next two fights by TKO, first to Eddie Alvarez in 2017 and then to Dustin Poirier in ’18. His chaotic style had him in position to win both bouts, but Gaethje was taking too much damage. And he knew a third straight defeat could put him in danger of getting cut from the UFC.

“Justin realized these guys are at another level, and they’re able to withstand these firefights that he was used to winning,” Cherrington said. “They’re much more skilled. And if he wanted to be beating these guys, he was going to have to dial things in.

“He was going to have to become more controlled, more strategic and maybe even have a game plan. I don’t think a game plan was much of a thing before that.”

The revised approach — being more of a spot fighter instead of trying to drown his opponent with relentless physicality — was underscored by a new, loftier goal, according to Wittman.

“At the beginning of his career, his goals were to be the most violent guy out there, the most remembered, the guy that every time someone bought a ticket, they remembered Justin Gaethje selling that show,” Wittman said on the Joe Rogan Podcast. “Then it turned into, ‘I want to have this belt.'”

As Gaethje found his footing in the UFC, he also battled periods of complacency and a couple of devastating losses for the undisputed belt. Twice, he captured the interim lightweight title. And twice, he fell short of unifying the belt, first in a loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2020 and then in a loss to Charles Oliveira in ’22. Both defeats came via submission.

The loss to Oliveira was particularly crushing, as it came in the main event of UFC 274 in his home state. Gaethje admits he was far too emotional going into the fight and ended up getting caught in

“I made that moment (of the fight) so much bigger than it actually was,” Gaethje said.

But the consistency of the men in Gaethje’s corner kept his star rising, even as he suffered setbacks.

Beyond Wittman and Cherrington, Gaethje’s coaching quartet is rounded out by , a former UFC fighter who often goes live against Gaethje during training, as well as jiu-jitsu/grappling coach Jorge Santiago.

Those four coaches have been the driving forces behind Gaethje’s success as he’s stayed ranked in the top five of the lightweight division for the last decade. They’re not all in the gym with Gaethje at the same time, aside from select days in a camp leading up to a fight, but each coach has a specific role that’s helped make Gaethje one of the most well-rounded fighters in the UFC.

“We have an amazing team and amazing chemistry,” Cherrington said. “Why it works so well is all of us know our roles and none of us have egos. There’s a lot of coaches that want the glory, that want the credit, and that’s just not our team.”

And as Gaethje has leaned into his coaches to learn how to make his chaotic approach more intelligent, he’s also mastered the art of getting punched in the face. As happened in the Topuria fight, Gaethje learned how to limit the damage to his face through an approach he says is “being like water,” ensuring very few of his opponent’s fists land with full effect.

“I’m not getting hit as much as it seems,” Gaethje said. “I definitely get hit (full-on) sometimes, but my ability to see punches and roll with punches is why very seldom do I get hit with 100% of their intended shot. Usually I’m slipping the punch so I’m only eating like 30% of the shot before it gets to their destination.”

Game plan for the title fight

Gaethje has also conquered the art of performing as an underdog.

He’s been an underdog in 12 of his 16 UFC fights and is 9-3 in those bouts. Along the way, he’s earned 17 bonuses across those 16 fights, an indication that even when he’s lost, he’s been a phenomenal draw for the promotion.

Gaethje entered the White House fight as a massive underdog, with his longshot odds averaging about 6-1. Topuria thought the matchup was as one-sided as the sportsbooks did.

Topuria predicted a first-round knockout of Gaethje, even going so far as to say he would finish the Coloradan And as Topuria did before his knockout win over Charles Oliveira to defend his belt in 2025, Topuria had a celebratory dinner the night before the White House fight. He also changed the record in his Twitter bio in advance of the fight to 18-0.

Instead, Topuria dropped to 17-1 as Gaethje battered him in the opening round. Then, Gaethje survived a handful of fierce body blows and two submission attempts in the second round before Gaethje stepped on the gas in the third and fourth rounds. The fight was nearly stopped after the third round after Topuria said he couldn’t see out of his eye, then was officially called after the fourth round, with Topuria’s face bloodied and nearly unrecognizable.

Topuria was taken to the hospital immediately after the fight, according to White, and . Gaethje said he knew he was going to win the fight after Topuria emptied his tank trying to finish Gaethje in the second round.

“Him hurting my body was one of the main reasons I won,” Gaethje said on the Joe Rogan Podcast. “… He had landed some really clean shots (in the second period). He could probably sense I was in trouble and hurt, and I think that fact made him dump everything. Because it was his last chance to take me out (as he predicted).”

Wittman added that it was clear Topuria, who came into the night on a scorching three-fight knockout streak, was not prepared to fight all five rounds.

“He knew he had to unleash everything right there (in the second) — if he would’ve been smart and knew they were going five rounds, he would’ve taken the approach of, ‘Let me step back a little bit, let me do some damage (here and there),'” Wittman said on the Joe Rogan Podcast.

Gaethje’s strategy in the fight was to consistently move left to counter Topuria’s pointed stance and make the Georgian-Spaniard constantly reset his approach. Gaethje also wanted to stay in the center of the cage to minimize Topuria’s striking effectiveness at close distance. And a third key was for Gaethje to throw jabs and get Topuria’s weight on his back foot, so Gaethje could find an opening with hooks over Topuria’s front shoulder.

“I was moving left the entire time,” Gaethje said on the Joe Rogan Podcast. “I constantly kept readjusting him. It was so subtle, but that’s what fighting is — subtle movements.”

The win marked Gaethje’s third straight victory following a loss to Max Holloway, when Holloway of a match where Gaethje said he was “not mentally prepared.” It was the first time Gaethje’s ever been knocked out in a bout.

But he followed up that disappointment with unanimous decisions over Rafael Fiziev and Paddy Pimblett, the latter being for the interim title, to set up the showdown with Topuria. Next for Gaethje, 37, is a major decision: either retire or defend his title. Gaethje sounds torn.

“I’ll definitely have those conversations with my parents, with my coaches, and with everybody that I care about and weigh all my options,” Gaethje said. “I would say I haven’t made a decision. But I mean, I’m planning on fighting again, for sure. Right now that’s what I feel in my body.”

Regardless of what’s next, back in Safford, Carolina Gaethje sees a quieter, more relaxing lifestyle for her son sometime in the not-too-distant future: One filled with golf (Justin is an 8.4 handicap), MMA coaching, a foundation that’s in the works to help at-risk kids and kids with mental illnesses, and, if Mom gets her way, grandkids.

“His time will come for all that,” Carolina Gaethje said. “We’re going to support him either way (on his retirement decision), but we want him to do what he feels within his heart.”

And if Gaethje moves onto that next chapter and never returns to the octagon — or even if he fights again and loses — “The Highlight” will always be remembered as a self-described “petty” competitor who epitomizes the fearless ferocity that the UFC has built its brand on since the promotion’s first card on November 12, 1993, at McNichols Sports Arena in Denver.

“When you look back, I think my career’s going to age like fine wine,” Gaethje said on the Joe Rogan Podcast. “Being the underdog (the majority of the time), being Top 5 since 2017. These things are unmatched… those are the things I’m the most proud of.”

Re: “Harry Potter blitzes Denver with Broadway tour, 1,000-plus drones,” May 27 news story

I recently learned that the Denver Center for the Performing Arts hosted “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” and that a separate Harry Potter Exhibition will be held on South Broadway starting June 26. I cannot express how disappointed I am that a performing arts center is hosting content that directly finances . She has used her proceeds from the franchise to say things that directly harm trans people both in the U.S. and the U.K.

The exhibition is a slap in the face to every trans person in the city and state. I moved to Colorado from Alabama to be able to live my life as a trans woman. For my adopted city to send profits to her, which will be used to fund misery for trans people, is, frankly, disgusting. The DCPA should reconsider its support for the eradication of trans people like me.

Abby Jane Morton, Denver

Obama at the library; Trump at the fight

Here we have former President Barack Obama at the opening of his presidential center, sounding like a true leader with a clear vision of what is going on in this country and where it should be headed.

While over here, we have UFC referee and Iranian chump Donald Trump, who does whatever he wants without regard for the Constitution, Congress, or the American people.

It����ap been said, you don’t know what you have until you lose it.

Craig Marshall Smith, Highlands Ranch

Shutdown Colorado’s coal plants

Re: “Experts: Extensions prolong health hit,” June 18 news story

It����ap a shame that we must keep Colorado’s dirty coal plants burning past their planned retirement dates. I feel sorry for all who will continue to breathe dirtier air, especially for children and people with respiratory problems. Apparently, we for delivering clean energy from new large-scale wind and solar projects. Rooftop solar and community solar do not require expensive transmission upgrades and are relatively fast to deploy. Currently, rooftop solar is too expensive for most people. It suffers from an excess of red tape that slow installations and raises its costs. Our legislature should work on reducing these barriers during its next session.

Bob Walker, Denver

Salazar is right, we need inclusivity

Re: “Longtime Colorado politician promotes unity in book,” June 21 news story

Congratulations to Judith Kohler for her excellent review, and Ken Salazar himself for his forthcoming book “Borderlands – My Fight for an Inclusive America.” Inclusivity in America is always our shared fight and responsibility, especially now. Salazar’s call for a new American, Canadian, and Mexican Alliance is a must.

Just as urgent is the need for radical immigration reform, and also new and clear pathways to citizenship.

First, we need immediate relief for our Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) graduates. These educated, degree-winning young people, who are now adults, have outgrown their childhoods with hard-working, law-abiding, taxpaying undocumented parents to become so themselves. They need protection from Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s quasi-legal deportations. We have invested our resources in these dreamers, and they are returning so much more to us.

Second, we need immediate pathways to citizenship for employed, law-abiding, tax-paying folks who were legal immigrants, but have expired Visas. They never illegally crossed our borders.

Borderlands are not a line drawn in the sand; they are a common living zone, and culture exists on both sides of that line. Residents of borderlands are by definition bilingual; their cultures mixed and distinctive. Their schools, churches, and law enforcement tend to be the best on both sides. They should be clarified, and their residents should be allowed short-term easy access to both sides of the border. Here is where asylum seekers can safely await clearance. Even deportees could be held there.

Can’t wait for this excellent forthcoming book.

Mary Estill Buchanan, Boulder

Editor’s note: Buchanan is a former Colorado secretary of state.

To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump emerged from the Oval Office first, then fighters from around the globe followed straight into the , in part for the president’s 80th birthday celebration and to bring a sport long on the fringe of mainstream acceptance into a main event on the White House South Lawn.

For a president who revels in winners, Trump had to enjoy crowning two champions on a big fight night staged closer to the Rose Garden than Madison Square Garden in the co-main event of UFC Freedom 250.

American lightweight Justin Gaethje capped his unification championship victory in the main event over with a backflip off the top of the cage. He crouched near Trump for a celebratory chat and the betting underdog draped the American flag over one shoulder — and the 155-pound title belt over another. Trump later stepped into the cage to congratulate Gaethje.

“Hey, I’m from America, 250 years ago we were way more than 6-1 underdogs,” Gaethje said. “I know that was absolutely legendary because I can not even believe it.”

Topuria and Gaethje made their walkouts from the Oval Office as fireworks exploded overhead during Michael Buffer’s introductions. Gaethje — who appeared to skim the copy of the Declaration of Independence on his way out — mustered some scattered “USA!” chants against the Spanish-Georgian Topuria, though not even the main event could stop the trend of mostly quiet fights.

It took the gory sight of a bloodied Topuria — his back to Trump in a white “USA” hat as he peered through the wire-mesh cage — nearly having the fight waved off to get a “let them fight!” chant going. The fight continued, and the 37-year-old Gaethje won eventually via corner stoppage in the fourth round.

“Hard work, baby,” Gaethje said. “I am made for these moments. This sport is made for me.”

Earlier, Ciryl Gane hammered Alex Pereira with a series of elbows and fists to the head and won via TKO in 1:27 of the second round to claim the interim heavyweight belt for a second time and set up a rematch with heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall.

Like the bulk of the fighters who had their hands raised in victory, Gane thanked Trump.

The White House was a most improbable all-American setting for a fight promotion that long ago shed the “human cockfighting” tag and decades later became entwined with the emboldened right-wing “ ” that soaks up UFC fights and threw its support behind Trump in two elections.

Trump and UFC boss Dana White, the tempestuous tag-team that rallied the fight company to the nation’s capital, walked from the Oval Office to the Blue Room Balcony to chants of “USA! USA!” to kick off the fight card jacked up by a dose of high-octane patriotism on a blustery night for cage fighting.

This was no .

UFC ramped up the patriotism for White House debut

The Marine Band jazzed up the festivities and played fighter entrance music in front of the White House and Zac Brown sang the national anthem — never performed before normal UFC fight cards because of the mix of nationalities fighting inside the Octagon. The Navy’s Blue Angels and Air Force Thunderbirds zipped overhead as part of a flyover to celebrate Trump’s and the of the Declaration of Independence’s signing.

The 4,000-plus fans — Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison among them — on the South Lawn who sat under the claw, the flying saucer-like, open-air structure that housed the cage, mostly sat on their hands until the fighters used theirs to deliver punishing blows and a true fighting spirit that got everyone on their feet.

Bo Nickal delivered the red, white and boom when the three-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion at Penn State earned the TKO win over middleweight Kyle Daukaus and immediately bolted the Octagon for a cage-side chat with Trump. Nickal met Trump in 2019 during a ceremony at the White House for collegiate national champions.

The first blight of the night for Trump came when American heavyweight Derrick Lewis lost his fight after he got a personal invitation from the president. Trump proclaimed himself a fan of Lewis and his unconventional celebrations and asked White to add him to the card. Josh Hokit instead improved to 10-0 when he flattened Lewis by TKO.

Sean O’Malley celebrated his walk-off KO win with a salute, and Mauricio Ruffy and Diego Lopes won their fights earlier in the night.

“That was sexy,” O’Malley said to cheers. “I felt the energy in here. I truly felt the energy in here.”

UFC says it’s only running one card at the White House

More than $60 million and tens of thousands of hours of labor were poured into building the arena, according to a court filing from the National Park Service, which oversees the South Lawn, and the looming threat of rain that threw White into a tizzy each time a miserable forecast was raised never materialized over the early portions of the card.

Fight night came only hours after the United States and Iran reached an agreement to end and open the , offering relief to the global economy more than three months after the war began.

The rare UFC outdoors event marked the pinnacle of the relationship between that has yielded personal, political and financial dividends for both parties. White’s first card as UFC president came in 2001 at an event held at Trump Taj Mahal.

Trump has attended four UFC cards as sitting president, walking to the cage amid rock music and patriotic chants from fans. White introduced Trump at two Republican National Conventions.

Trump got a home game for this one, making the short walk from the Oval Office to the Octagon, much like the fighters who made the walk down West Wing halls covered with presidential portraits and were flanked by first responders and medal of honor recipients, among other individuals who served.

Strickland causes trouble at the fan zone at the Ellipse

Thousands more outside the White House lawn watched the fights on big screens from the nearby Ellipse, though not everyone was able to get tickets.

Even one of UFC’s champions.

UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland was escorted out of the Ellipse event by a group of police officers.

U.S. Park Police said in a statement that Strickland’s presence drew enough attention from attendees that it resulted in disorder. He wasn’t cited or arrested, they said. Instead, he was taken to his hotel and told not to come back to the venue.

___

AP MMA:

NEW YORK — A federal lawsuit seeks to halt the upcoming on the White House South Lawn in a show timed for President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday and part of the celebration of the nation’s .

The filing Saturday by the Public Integrity Project on behalf of two Virginia residents contends the Trump administration’s authorization of the June 14 event was unlawful. The lawsuit says such approval violated National Park Service regulations prohibiting sporting events on federal parklands, Congress did not consent to the overlooking the event space and no environmental review was conducted before the construction.

“This is fundamentally a private, commercial, corrupt use of our most sacred national monuments for private gain,” said Brendan Ballou, a lawyer for the plaintiffs. “And that is what is motivating this lawsuit.”

The White House said in a statement that the legal challenge was “an obstructionist, baseless, and dilatory” attempt to prevent Trump from hosting the fight and that the event was “no different than the various other White House-hosted events on the South Lawn and properly permitted events on the Ellipse and National Mall throughout the year.”

UFC did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday.

Crews are erecting an octagon-shaped cage on the South Lawn. Trump has said the finished UFC project will feature “a 5,000-seat arena right outside the front door of the White House.” Additional large screens broadcasting the fights will be set up in a park at the nearby Ellipse, and the UFC has said it plans to issue as many as 85,000 free tickets to accommodate spectators at both locations.

The octagon and surrounding structures are the latest project in the White House building boom Trump is leading.

In April 2024, Gaethje fought Max Holloway for the BMF belt at UFC 300. ������ Holloway — who was ahead on the judges’ scorecards — pointed to the center of the octagon with 10 seconds remaining. Gaethje met him there and the two fighters exchanged a series of furious blows before Holloway’s right hook knocked out Gaethje with one second left.

Gaethje’s first loss by knockout propelled the Lakewood resident and former Northern Colorado wrestler. He beat Rafael Fiziev in 2025, then pulled another upset over Paddy Pimblett in January to secure the interim lightweight title.

Next up: Gaethje’s showdown against Ilia Topuria on June 14 at on the . Gaethje, 37, is a huge underdog in the fight to unify the lightweight belt against Topuria, 29, the undefeated reigning champion.

“It was a blessing to get finished like that (by Holloway),” Gaethje said. “It was a great reminder that this game is crazy. This game is unforgivable. You can’t make mistakes. I made so many mistakes in that fight.

“… But I needed it, and that knockout makes this second and last run (at an undisputed belt) that much more special.”

June 14 marks Gaethje’s fifth championship fight in the UFC. Gaethje lost his prior two shots at the undisputed lightweight title, first to Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2020 due to a triangle choke (a fight to unify the belt) and then to Charles Oliveira in 2022 via a rear-naked choke (a fight for the vacant belt).

The White House fight is likely the last shot for Gaethje to win a UFC title outright.

“Rarely do people get to fight at the pinnacle of this sport in these types of fights this many times,” Gaethje said. “With the experience I have, to still be here is an honor. And it’s just a testament to how good I am and how hard I work.”

The sportsbooks aren’t giving Gaethje much of a chance. Topuria is a -600 moneyline favorite on DraftKings, a -700 moneyline favorite on and a -720 moneyline favorite on .

Topuria, who has expressed his desire to move up to welterweight for a shot at champion Islam Makhachev and the opportunity to become the UFC’s first three-division champion, also believes Gaethje isn’t a worthy opponent. Topuria (17-0) already changed to “Undefeated 18 – 0” and has planned a celebratory party with family and friends the night before the fight.

The Georgian-Spaniard diminished Gaethje’s unanimous decision over Pimblett, it looked like “a bar fight” and that “for a world (interim) title, it was kind of embarrassing.” Topuria predicts a first-round finish over Gaethje.

“Honestly, what I thought (when Gaethje was announced as my opponent) is, ‘What a gift,'” Topuria told ESPN. “But at the same time, I didn’t know what kind of expectations the fans would have when the UFC announced I’m fighting Justin Gaethje. The conversation is not even about who is going to win, because everyone is like, ‘Ilia is going to win.’ They’re all talking about how am I going to knock him out and ‘Will Justin last one round?’ This is the conversation.”

Gaethje’s response to Topuria’s bravado? Let ’em talk. “The Highlight” has been an underdog in 11 of his 14 UFC fights, and is 8-3 in those bouts.

“How am I the underdog that many times whenever I’ve come out successful? Vegas doesn’t give money away, so they’re not trying to be wrong,” Gaethje said. “… One of my best attributes is people believing that I’m just stupid. And it’s crazy and it’s worked in my favor so many times. … Another one of my best attributes is being looked over somehow, some way, and I love it. Keep talking like I have no chance.

“With the way that my career has gone, this fight is just an opportunity to prove so much, and to be a legend. Miracle on Ice type of energy. I can’t wait to inspire this country. So many people are counting me out, but so many people believe in me. It feels really good to prove people wrong, but proving people right is special. And I have the opportunity to prove so many people right.”

Whatever the case, it might be the last fight of Gaethje’s storied career. He refused to commit to a decision on retirement before or immediately after the fight, but has previously acknowledged he knows he’s close to the end of his career.

And what a career it’s been for the Arizona native who, before parlaying an into UFC stardom, spent the summer after he finished high school working 68 consecutive 14-hour days at the Morenci copper mine in Greenlee County, Ariz.

“I can only imagine (18-year-old me) would be ecstatic about the life and the opportunities ahead of him,” Gaethje said. “Never would I have thought that I’d come this far, not because of any other reason but that I’ve never thought I was better than anybody. I still don’t think I’m better than anybody.

“I still think I’m just a normal kid with amazing parents that refuses to give up and is very petty when it comes to competition. That’s who I am. That’s who I will be, win or lose on this fight. I’m going to be the same exact person. And I think that kid would be proud.”

The Minnesota Mild threw every trick they could lift from Whiny Pete DeBoer’s playbook at the Avalanche in Game 4. Especially the dirty ones.

The Wild flopped like a walleye just pulled from They begged. They moaned. They worked the refs as if it were a Champions League semifinal, a baloney sandwich of pleading arms and empty arguments.

Minnesota had Stars in its eyes, all right. Dallas Stars. Yet the Avs rallied through all that bulljunk and bluster for a 5-2 win Monday night — bringing a 3-1 series lead back to Ball Arena for Game 5 on Wednesday.

Whenever the Wild dug deep on Monday, Colorado dug deeper. Ross Colton. Jack Ahcan. From goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood winning his first playoff start to a “checking” line of Parker Kelly (one goal, three hits), Jack Drury (one assist, two hits) and Joel Kiviranta (two hits), almost every one of coach Jared Bednar’s tweaks paid off.

It takes a village to lift Lord Stanley. The Avs reminded everybody why they’ve got more pitchforks within arm’s reach than any locker room in North America. Colton celebrated his return to the second line by breaking a 1-1 tie on a wrister with 13:04 left in the contest that bested Minny netminder Jesper Wallstedt on his stick side — his first goal of the postseason.

And it was the Avs’ fourth line, Bednar’s favorite sons, that kept the Stanley Cup favorites on top. With 8:28 to go, Kelly took Drury’s pass in the slot, cocked his stick back, and beat Wallstedt with a laser into the top shelf for a 3-2 Colorado lead.

The Avs came in crashing, relentless waves, although it took a while for Minnesota’s Wallstedts to break. With 13:59 left in the second period, the Avs were outshooting Minnesota 17-4. Colorado managed to break through on attempt No. 19 seven seconds later, via their second power play.

Nazem Kadri got a great look off a wrister from the front of the right face-off circle, only for Wallstedt to parry the point-blank look. But the netminder couldn’t corral it, and Kadri gathered his own rebound and whistled it past Wallstedt to get Colorado on the board with 13:52 left in the stanza.

Like the Broncos and Seahawks, the Avs have the kind of defense that travels well, the kind of defense that can win anywhere. The Wild went 19 minutes in the middle period without a shot on goal at one point.

Colorado landed more shots (10 to 4), hits (12 to eight), and takeaways (three to none) than the Wild did over the opening 20 minutes, but couldn’t lay a glove on Minnesota early.

Well, except for one glove in particular. And that belonged to Avs defender Josh Manson, who celebrated his first game in this series by getting a shot in from his backside.

With 12:53 in the first, Minnesota’s Michael McCarron forechecked the Avs D-man into Manitoba, then landed on him with all of his 6-foot-6, 242-pound frame.

As the two clenched, UFC style, Manson appeared to poke at the bigger assailant near the ear with the end of his stick, then threw a left jab with his fist while McCarron lowered an elbow. Manson’s shot landed, but the bigger Wild forward responded as if he’d been popped by Conor McGregor, shooting his head back and collapsing to the ice while clutching his face.

Manson was assessed a four-minute double minor for butt-ending with his stick. He was lucky, in hindsight, that the zebras didn’t toss him. A call for landing the butt-end of the stick is a five-minute major and a game misconduct.

“You played against Josh,” McCarron told ESPN’s P.K. Subban after the opening period. “He’s a dirty player. He’s always been. Surprised he got away with only a four-minute (penalty). I’m happy he’s still in the game.”

Mr. Mc-Karen looked awfully happy to lie on Manson for a few extra seconds, too. Embellish much?

“My intention wasn’t to butt-end him,” Manson said later. “Did I want to punch him in the head? I did want to punch him in the head.”

If you’re curious, Manson averaged 80 regular-season penalty minutes per 82 games over his NHL career. McCarron’s logged 111 penalty minutes per 82.

Once a Temu tough guy, always a Temu tough guy.

Alas, as with Game 3, the hosts didn’t waste any time taking advantage of the extra man. Minnesota defenseman Brock Faber launched a frozen rope from the blue line, and, like Saturday, a Wild forward was camped out comfortably in the Colorado crease to redirect it. Minnesota’s Danila Yurov doinked the dart past Blackwood, and 9:46 into the game, Grand Casino Arena smelled blood in their beers.

But after that, to his credit, Blackwood held fast between the pipes — at least until midway through the third stanza. Colorado wisely kept most of the action on the Wild’s side of the rink, but Blackwood turned away 11 of the first 12 Minnesota shots he faced.

If nothing else, No. 39 vindicated a lineup change from Bednar that threw everybody a curveball. Manson and Ahcan in on defense, Sam Malinsky and Nick Blankenburg out. Kiviranta in, Artturi Lehkonen out. And the losses weren’t small ones, either: Lehkonen put up a team-high plus-9 in plus-minus with six points through his first seven postseason games. Malinsky was second to the feisty Finn in plus-minus (plus-7) with three points from the blue line.

And unlike Pavel Francouz in 2022 and Michael Hutchinson at the bubble in 2020, Bednar turning to Blackwood between the pipes was a switch of choice.

Bednar never moved off of Alexandar Georgiev in 2024, even though Lord Stanley knows Four-giev gave him plenty of reasons to. He stuck with Philipp Grubauer in 2021 during a second-round Vegas series that flipped from fairy tale to nightmare fuel.

Francouz got four starts during that 2022 run to a title because Darcy Kuemper, Bednar’s preferred starter, suffered an eye injury against Nashville and an upper-body one in the opener of the Western Conference Finals against Edmonton. Frankie finished off the Avs’ 4-0 sweep of the Oilers, and other than Pavel’s relief stint during a Game 3 loss in Tampa, Kuemper wrapped up the Cup champs’ coronation with wins in Game 4 and Game 6.

It’s a long, hard road to a parade, but the Avs, with a 7-1 postseason mark, can just about make out the exit ramp to the promised land, begging in the distance. The path to a title runs through Chopper Circle again. And Colorado is a win away from bringing a deserved curtain down on

The Colorado fighter’s hopes of putting herself into the conversation for a shot at the UFC flyweight belt went up in smoke quickly in the first round of her rematch against Alexa Grasso on Saturday at Climate Pledge Arena.

About 2 minutes and 40 seconds into the fight, Grasso drilled Barber in the head with a left hook, knocking her out. As Barber fell to the canvas, Grasso before the fight was quickly called.

OH MY GOODNESS

ALEXA GRASSO FINISHES MAYCEE BARBER!!

— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount)

“I am OK,” Barber said in a video she posted “I am very blessed to live the life that I do. As tough as it is, going out there and being able to do that, what I did (Saturday) night, was still one of the greatest nights of my life, despite (how it ended).

“… I will be back. I’m going to heal up, and put in the work, and get back out there.”

After the fight was called, Barber lay on the canvas for a few minutes, looking around and breathing heavily, while UFC trainers evaluated her. Grasso knelt off to the side, praying. Barber eventually stood and moved to the center of the octagon for Grasso to raise her hand.

The dramatic finish snapped Barber’s seven-bout win streak that stretched back to a loss to Grasso at UFC 258 in 2021. Barber had recently overcome medical issues over the last two years, including a nine-day hospital stay in 2024 and what she described as a “pseudo-seizure” that forced her to withdraw shortly before a fight against Erin Blanchfield last summer.

Barber returned to the octagon in December, beating Karine Silva at UFC 323 by unanimous decision. The Greeley native and Denver resident entered Seattle as the No. 5 fighter in the flyweight contender rankings, and Grasso was No. 3.

On Sunday, with her lip cut up and puffy, Barber thanked Grasso for the rematch.

“I wanted to go out there and get my opportunity to get my rematch, and dominate, and get that win back,” Barber said. “And unfortunately, it was not my night. I got caught, and Alexa did an amazing thing. She’s a phenomenal fighter.

“I don’t really remember a whole lot. All I know is every time I go on social media, I look like I’m dead. And that’s not a very fun thing to see.”

Other Colorado fighters

Where other UFC fighters from The Centennial State currently stand in their

Justin Gaethje, lightweight interim champion — Coming off an upset of Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324 in January to claim the interim belt, Gaethje will face Ilia Topuria in the main event of the UFC White House card on June 14. Should Gaethje beat Topuria at UFC Freedom 250, he will unify the belt and earn his first true, undisputed UFC title.

Brandon Royval, No. 4 in flyweight — The Denver native is coming off consecutive losses, including a TKO at the hands of Manel Kape in December and a loss to current champion Joshua Van last summer. His next fight hasn’t been officially announced, but Royval teased an upcoming bout

Cory Sandhagen, No. 4 in bantamweight — After losing a title fight to Merab Dvalishvili last October, Dvalishvili then lost the belt to Petr Yan in December. Sandhagen, a Smoky Hill graduate who trains at High Altitude Martial Arts in Denver, also lost to Umar Nurmagomedov in 2024. Sandhagen’s next fight is to be announced.

Curtis Blaydes, No. 4 in heavyweight — After losing to current champion Tom Aspinall via a TKO one minute into their interim heavyweight bout at UFC 304 in England, the Golden fighter rebounded with a split-decision win over Rizvan Kuniev last summer. Blaydes fights Josh Hokit on the main card of UFC 327 on April 11 in Miami.

Rose Namajunas, No. 6 in flyweight — The Westminster fighter has been up-and-down. After beating Tracy Cortez at Ball Arena in the summer of ’24, Namajunas lost to Erin Blanchfield later that year. Then she beat Miranda Maverick in ’25 before losing to Natalia Silva in January in a title eliminator fight. Next fight: TBA.

Raquel Pennington, No. 2 in bantamweight — The Colorado Springs fighter became the state’s first female UFC champion when she beat Mayra Bueno Silva via unanimous decision in 2024. But she lost her title defense in a split decision to Julianna Peña later that year, and It’s unclear when she’ll return to the octagon.

With the medical issues of the past couple of years in her rearview, Maycee Barber is set to fight Alexa Grasso in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night on Saturday

There, the Greeley native and Denver resident believes she’ll deliver a performance that will extend her winning streak to eight and springboard her to her first career title shot in the flyweight division.

“It’ll be a finish over (Grasso),” Barber predicted. “It’ll be a win over a former champion. It’ll be a dominant performance over her. And I don’t think there will be anything else that I need to do to prove or anything more I need to do to be able to get a shot at the belt.

“At the end of the fight on Saturday night, I get to say that I want my title shot. So that’s what I get to look forward to, and I’m very excited for that.”

The bout is as Barber’s last loss came in 2021 to Grasso, via a unanimous decision at UFC 258 in Las Vegas. Since then, Barber’s piled up wins while Grasso won the belt in 2023 over Valentina Shevchenko. Then, the Mexican lost the belt in 2024 to Shevchenko, who successfully defended her title twice last year. Shevchenko is UFC’s top-ranked pound-for-pound female fighter.

Barber is fifth in the and Grasso is third. And while Barber has been on a win streak, she’s also dealt with a couple of health scares that kept her from fighting.

In the spring of 2024, following a victory over Katlyn Cerminara at UFC 299 in Miami, Barber was hospitalized for nine days. During that stay, Barber also developed pneumonia, and doctors couldn’t pin down exactly what was wrong. The fallout from that ordeal, in addition to being diagnosed with Epstein-Barr virus, led to Barber against fellow Coloradan Rose Namajunas at Ball Arena that July.

Barber then appeared poised to return to the octagon last summer against Erin Blanchfield, but suffered what Barber as a “pseudo-seizure” as she was warming up for the fight. Once again, doctors were unable to diagnose exactly what happened that led to the medical emergency, though Barber believes the ’24 and ’25 incidents were related.

The 27-year-old finally returned to action in December 2025 at UFC 323 in Las Vegas, registering a unanimous decision over Karine Silva.

“It’s always challenging when you face those health issues and you’re like, ‘Is (continuing to fight) going to be possible?'” Barber said. “But the UFC got me around the best doctors, the best neurologists. They didn’t figure out exactly what it was (that caused both episodes), but they figured out a solution.

“The only thing that we did figure out is that it’s not bothering me right now, and I’m able to train. I’m healthy and I’m able to perform. And so that’s what’s most important, is that I’m able to do what I love to do.”

Should Barber beat Grasso, she might have to wait — or possibly fight and win again — to get her shot at the belt. Ahead of the UFC 324 bout between Namajunas and Natalia Silva, both women said the UFC told them the fight , with the winner getting the next crack at Shevchenko. Silva beat Namajunas via unanimous decision and is now 8-0 in the UFC.

Looks like Gaethje has plenty left if he wants to continue his career.

Gaethje, who was an All-American wrestler at the University of Northern Colorado, went after Pimblett from the beginning, his aggressiveness leading to a unanimous decision and upset victory for the interim lightweight title.

“My coach was definitely upset with me after the first round,” Gaethje said. “I love this (stuff) so much, it����ap really hard to control myself sometimes. I knew that I had to put him on his back foot. He is very dangerous, got great timing. I had to steal momentum and his confidence. I had to work really hard in the first round. Champions move forward.”

In the , the judges awarded Gaethje (27-5) the victory by scores of 48-47, 49-46 and 49-46. The Associated Press scored it 48-47 for Gaethje.

Pimblett (23-4) was a -250 favorite at BetMGM Sportsbook.

In the co-main event, third-ranked bantamweight challenger Sean O’Malley (19-3) of Phoenix defeated No. 5 Song Yadong (22-9-1) of China by unanimous decision. All three judges scored the bout 29-28. O’Malley appeared in real trouble before putting together his strongest round in the third.

UFC CEO and President Dana White said the Paramount viewership numbers will come out Tuesday or Wednesday, but the early results were more than promising.

“This exceeded expectations beyond belief for Paramount,” White said. “We know it killed it. They’re saying it exceeded expectations by double. We’ve got a real good feeling we’re going to have a great relationship for seven years.”

Gaethje and Pimblett waged a physical and bloody fight. White said Pimblett was sent to a hospital but that Gaethje refused to go.

“I wanted that belt, but there’s no other man I would rather lose to,” Pimblett said. “For me, it����ap the idea of someone I’ve loved watching growing up watching the UFC. It shows why he’s a legend right there.”

The combatants weren’t the only ones injured. Referee Mark Smith was carried out of the octagon after tearing an ACL while officiating the Ateba Gautier-Andrey Pulyaev bout.

Gaethje, a 37-year-old who fights out of Denver, landed a series of punches about a minute and a half into the fight and took Pimblett to the mat. The pounding continued in the second round when Gaethje took the 31-year-old Englishman down three times. On the third time, with about 30 seconds left, Gaethje was relentless in landings blows on Pimblett����ap face.

But Pimblett began to find his game in the third round despite bleeding by his right eye. He connected with enough punches while remaining standing to get back into the bout.

At least temporarily.

A strong combination by Gaethje midway through the fourth turned the fight back into his favor. Even though he was taken to the floor late in the round, it was Gaethje who pounded Pimblett����ap face. Each approached the fifth as if he didn’t want to leave it in the judge’s hands, and Pimblett put together a combination with about a minute left.

The crowd stood to applaud both fighters when the final bell rang, a tribute to the entertaining and action-filled bout.

The way this card came together might not have been what White had in mind when putting together first Paramount+ card, and there were issues right up until fight day.

A bout between fourth-ranked challenger (Gaethje) against the fifth-ranked one (Pimblett) wouldn’t be ideal for the headline event in any numbered card, particularly to kick off the seven-year relationship with Paramount. And then to put the interim belt on the line could seem a bit of a reach.

But both also are fan favorites, Gaethje for his renowned skill and willingness to take on anyone and Pimblett as a rising star who could be one of the primary faces of the UFC. In the end, the show they put on probably will overshadow any other concerns about the card.

“I told (Pimblett) right now I was where you were not too long ago,” Gaethje said. “It����ap a crazy sport and a (flipping) amazing life. I’m so grateful to share it with you guys (the fans).”

But a number of factors led to this scenario. Reigning champion Ilia Topuria has taken a leave of absence for personal reasons, top-ranked challenger Arman Tsarukyan is recovering from a back injury and No. 2 Charles Oliveira and No. 3 Max Holloway are scheduled to fight each other at UFC 326 on March 7.

The UFC at least had hoped to put on a co-main event that by itself would have drawn a lot of attention. But neck surgery forced women’s bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison to withdraw from her scheduled bout with Amanda Nunes. It was quite a blow to the card considering Nunes, a Hall of Famer and former two-division champion, had come out of retirement to accept this fight. She came anyway, watching the action with her two daughters.

Then on Friday, bantamweight fighter after weighing in, forcing cancellation of his match with Ricky Turcios. A lightweight fight between Michael Johnson and Alexander Hernandez was removed from the schedule on Saturday after the UFC’s betting integrity service notified the organization of a potential wagering problem.

“So we pulled the fight,” White said.

The UFC had put its numbered cards on pay-per-view, but the organization signed a seven-year deal with Paramount in August that now airs those and other events on the subscription-based streaming service. CBS will simulcast some events.