Justin Gaethje’s UFC victory speech beautifully embodies the American spirit, saying, “I prayed so much for this.”

Justin Gaethje Wins UFC 250 Championship

Justin Gaethje put on an unforgettable show at UFC 250, a significant event that took place outside the White House on Sunday night, capturing the undisputed lightweight UFC championship belt.

Prior to the fight, both Gaethje and his unbeaten rival Ilia Topuria made a dramatic entrance to the UFC Octagon, stepping out from the Oval Office before heading into the arena set up on the White House lawn.

Remarkably, amidst dark clouds, the main event kicked off with fireworks, despite starting well past 12:30 a.m. ET.

During the fight, Gaethje faced two crucial moments that almost led to his defeat. The first was in the second round when a crippling body shot from Topuria knocked him down. Then, in the fourth round, a surprise takedown put Gaethje in a precarious position.

However, Topuria faltered and was unable to continue past the third round, prompting the referee to stop the match after consulting with ringside doctors.

Following his victory, announcer Joe Rogan inquired of Gaethje, “You’ve waited your whole career for this and managed to win such an incredible match despite being a 6-1 underdog. How does it feel?”

Gaethje responded with pride, “I’m from America. 250 years ago we were much bigger than a 6-to-1 dog, and now look at where we are.”

The fighter from Safford, Arizona, expressed his gratitude to “current, former, and future military members” for their service, before sharing his deeper motivation for the fight.

“Glory to God. I prayed so much for this legendary opportunity, and I know it was legendary because it feels surreal,” Gaethje said.

He credited his mother’s “Mexican warrior spirit” and his father’s “very thick German bones” for his exceptional performance. Interestingly, Gaethje had the worst odds yet became the only underdog to win on this remarkable night.

He explained to Logan that he took an unconventional route to optimize his performance. “I told myself I’d feel embarrassed not to tap into my fundamentals. I really had to dig deep. He caught me, but I held on,” Gaethje recalled with a laugh, commenting on the lack of visible damage as if suggesting his skin could be a subject for scientific study.

Having entered the fight as the interim lightweight champion, Gaethje has now claimed the undisputed title, besting his opponent from Georgia.

In related news, Gaethje received two fight bonuses for his outstanding performance, totaling an impressive $825,000, which included a Fight of the Night bonus of $400,000 and a Performance of the Night bonus of $425,000.