UFC Freedom 250: Ceremonial weigh-in highlight
Watch as all the fighters for UFC Freedom 250 face-off one last time ahead of fight night at the White House
Mauricio Ruffy and Michael Chandler meet at UFC Freedom 250 on Sunday at the White House in Washington DC. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
- Last event’s results: 2-3
- UFC main cards, 2026: 55-33-1
Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler UFC Freedom 250 preview
Ruffy (13-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) had a stellar performance in his most recent outing, where he finished a very durable Rafael Fiziev in the second round at UFC 325. That result put him back in the win column following a submission loss to Benoit Saint Denis, which snapped a seven-fight winning streak.
Chandler (23-10 MMA, 2-5 UFC) is in search of his first win since knocking out Tony Ferguson at UFC 274 in May 2022. Since then, Chandler has lost three straight against Dustin Poirier, Charles Oliveira and Paddy Pimblett.
Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler UFC Freedom 250 expert pick, prediction
Filling out the main card for UFC Freedom 250 is a lightweight showdown between Mauricio Ruffy and Michael Chandler.
Although the betting odds feel completely disrespectful to Chandler and his body of work, I can also understand the low stock on the American’s side of the equation.
Aside from going 2-5 under the UFC banner, the now 40-year-old has been showing all the post-prime signs of wear from the wars he’s been in for some time now. Even if Chandler does go back to the ground-and-pound, grappling-heavy approaches of his past, I don’t believe he has the gas to sustain that sort of onslaught.
I don’t know if the rumors of Ruffy being compromised on fight night for his lone UFC loss are true, but I like the fact that the Brazilian reached out to the likes of Alexander Volkanovski and company to help him shore up the holes in his game.
I suspect some of Ruffy’s holes will be tested hard and early at the White House, but I ultimately think that the 29-year-old can pass the test.
The official pick is for Ruffy to find the knockout by the beginning of Round 2.
Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler UFC Freedom 250 odds
The oddsmakers and the public heavily favor the Brazilian fighter, listing Ruffy -620 and Chandler +430 via FanDuel.
Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler UFC Freedom 250 start time, how to watch
Ruffy and Chandler are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 9:10 p.m. ET. However, the expected start time may be affected by weather delays. The fight streams live on Paramount+.
