UFC Freedom 250 Left Me Asking a Bigger Question Than Who Won the Fights

UFC Freedom 250 is in the books.

The event took place on the White House lawn as part of the celebration of America's birthday and President Donald Trump's birthday. Whether you loved the venue or hated it, you have to admit it was unlike anything we've ever seen in combat sports.

And as far as the fights themselves?

They delivered.

Seven fights.

Seven knockouts.

You really can't ask for much more than that from a fan's perspective.

Justin Gaethje pulled off one of the biggest wins of his career by knocking off Ilia Topuria to become the undisputed lightweight champion. At 37 years old, after years of being one of the most exciting fighters on the planet, Gaethje finally captured the title that always seemed just out of reach.

If anyone has earned a championship the hard way, it's Justin Gaethje.

The co-main event saw Alex Pereira attempt something we've never seen before—becoming the UFC's first three-division champion.

Instead, Ciryl Gane reminded everyone just how difficult heavyweight can be.

Pereira looked dangerous early, but Gane proved to be too much, handing "Poatan" a loss in his heavyweight debut. It'll be interesting to see whether Pereira stays at heavyweight or decides his future is back at light heavyweight, where he's already cemented his legacy.

Now here's where this article becomes less about the fights...

...and more about me as a fan.

I'll be honest.

I didn't watch UFC Freedom 250 live.

That wasn't because the card wasn't good.

It wasn't because I don't love mixed martial arts.

I absolutely do.

I've attended five UFC events in person, including UFC 300 and UFC 324. I've spent years following this sport because I believe the UFC has the best fighters in the world.

But this event crossed a line that made me uncomfortable.

I don't necessarily believe the UFC has become a political organization.

I think it's still a sports organization.

But it's a sports organization that has become increasingly comfortable associating itself with politics.

That's different.

And for me, that difference matters.

Everyone has the right to support whichever political candidates or causes they believe in. That's not my issue.

My issue is when the sport itself begins to feel inseparable from those affiliations.

One of the reasons sports have traditionally brought people together is because they offered a break from everything else. Whether you're Republican, Democrat, Independent, or completely checked out of politics, you could sit next to one another and enjoy the game.

That line feels blurrier than ever.

I eventually watched the main event and co-main event online afterward because, at the end of the day, I still love the sport.

That's what makes this so frustrating.

I'm not looking for a reason to stop watching the UFC.

I'm looking for a reason not to.

Then came the post-fight interviews.

After knocking out Derrick Lewis, heavyweight Josh Hokit used his interview to call Michelle Obama a man.

Again, everyone is entitled to their opinions.

But there's a difference between having an opinion and turning a post-fight interview into a political rally.

One thing Dana White has consistently done is give his fighters tremendous freedom to say whatever they want.

In many ways, I respect that.

Freedom of speech matters.

But freedom from consequences isn't the same thing.

At some point, every workplace has standards.

Say whatever you want on your own podcast.

Your own social media.

Your own time.

But when you're representing the organization in an official post-fight interview, maybe there should be some expectation that the focus stays on the fight.

That's not censorship.

That's professionalism.

So where does that leave me?

Honestly...

I don't know.

I'm already paying for Paramount, which means I can continue watching UFC events without spending extra money on pay-per-views.

I still love the athletes (well some of them).

I still believe the UFC puts on the highest level of mixed martial arts in the world.

I still want to support the fighters who dedicate their lives to this sport.

But I also have principles.

And right now, those two things are pulling in opposite directions.

Maybe I'll keep watching.

Maybe I'll become more selective about which events I support.

I genuinely don't know.

What I do know is this:

The fights were outstanding.

The conversations surrounding them may have been even bigger.

And for fans like me, that's a question worth asking.

Because sometimes...

Relevance is Relative.