UFC Lightweight Champion Ilia Topuria will be involved in one of the biggest fights in Mixed Martial Arts history when he headlines the UFC Freedom 250 card at The White House against Interim UFC Lightweight Champion Justin Gaethje. 

The White House card has been one of the most talked about events in combat sports over the past year, with many fans predicting what fights would end up on the historic card. Topuria himself even predicted who he would end up facing if he was to be included in the festivities, and during a recent interview with “Fight Disciples,” he admitted that he didn’t think he would end up facing Gaethje, he thought he would face Paddy Pimblett.

“I’m surprised because I thought that Paddy [Pimblett] was–that he’s going to win that fight against Justin. So I was thinking in myself before that fight that I would face Paddy because since the first moment that they announced the White House, I always knew that I would be in that event. So I was like ‘if Justin is fighting against Paddy, I’m going to fight the winner and I think that Paddy’s going to win that fight.’ I was surprised because of that.” Topuria and Pimblett have exchanged words multiple times over the past few years with the idea that they would face off in an eventual grudge match. However, Pimblett would lose to Gaethje at UFC 324, leading to Topuria facing Gaethje in the title unification bout.

Topuria was rumored to be facing Islam Makachev at The White House in a champion vs. champion bout, but negotiations regarding money got in the way, and that fight has been shelved until further notice.

Please credit “Fight Disciples” when using quotes from this article, and give a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.