Justin Gaethje pulled off a major upset to claim the undisputed UFC Lightweight Title against Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250. The June 14 event, staged on the South Lawn of the White House, ended after Topuria’s corner stopped the fight at the end of the fourth round.
Gaethje went into the championship fight as a heavy underdog, but Arman Tsarukyan backed him anyway. The Armenian Lightweight placed a $1 million wager on Gaethje to win the bout.
Before the fight, Tsarukyan also said he would buy Gaethje a brand-new truck if he came out victorious. Gaethje delivered on fight night, and Tsarukyan reportedly earned a whopping $5.7 million payout from the bet.
Later, at the post-fight press conference, a reporter asked Justin Gaethje about the truck Arman had promised him. The newly crowned champion already had an answer ready:
I’ll take a Ram. I am due for a new truck. My truck is of 2020. I bought it when I beat Tony Ferguson, and it’s got about 65,000 miles on it. So…send it,” Gaethje replied.
Arman Tsarukyan quickly acknowledged the request of the champion. During an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, The Armenian star confirmed his intent to fulfill the pre-fight vow. Tsarukyan stated he will complete the purchase after finishing his July wrestling commitments against Colby Covington at Real American Freestyle in St. Louis.
I’m coming back July 12th. I’m competing July 18 at the St. Louis. And after St.Louis, I’m going to uh bring him a truck. Ram is a UFC official sponsor, so maybe they will give me a discount, 15 or 10 percent. But if they don’t, it’s okay, it’s not that expensive,” Tsarukyan said. (Timestamp: 26:43-27:18)
A new update has now surfaced on the situation. During a Kick stream hosted by Nina Drama, Arman Tsarukyan’s manager confirmed that the purchase has already been completed.
We purchased it, Justin should have his car in the next week or so. We have sent the wire, it’s a dealer trade. We’re waiting for the car to get to LA. You got a brand new truck coming to you ASAP.”
Gaethje’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, previously confirmed online that he communicated the specific color and model requirements to Tsarukyan’s team.
Justin Gaethje Earned a whopping $825,000 Performance Bonus After Beating Ilia Topuria at UFC White House
Justin Gaethje headlined the UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House. ‘The Highlight’ captured the Undisputed Lightweight Title by defeating Ilia Topuria by TKO.
The performance by Justin Gaethje broke all the bonus records. UFC CEO Dana White announced a massive one-off bump to the post-fight rewards for the historic event. Gaethje claimed both Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night honors, taking home an unprecedented $825,000 in combined bonus money.
“Topuria vs. Gaethje earned Fight of the Night,” White confirmed during his post-fight press conference, detailing the $425,000 performance award and $400,000 fight bonus.
The victory moves Gaethje to 17 post-fight bonuses in just 16 octagon appearances. He now sits third all-time across all weight classes for promotional bonuses. Topuria also pocketed $400,000 in the brutal fight.
Every single bout on the Washington, D.C. card ended in a finish. This monumental night set a new financial benchmark for the sport, leaving the entire UFC roster on notice.
