Justin Gaethje wanted “Miracle on Ice” energy before his UFC Freedom 250 fight with Ilia Topuria. Mike Eruzione heard the comparison and gave him a few words of advice.
Eruzione, the captain of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team that upset the Soviet Union in Lake Placid, spoke to TMZ Sports after Gaethje brought up the famous underdog win. TMZ reported that Gaethje had said he wanted to bring that kind of energy into his June 14 fight against Topuria.
Gaethje enters UFC Freedom 250 as the underdog. CBS Sports listed Topuria as the lightweight champion and Gaethje as the interim champion, with Topuria at -535 and Gaethje at +400 as of June 8.
Eruzione did not try to turn the fight into a perfect copy of Lake Placid. His advice was simpler: do not walk in beaten, accept the challenge, and fight.
Gaethje Invoked the Miracle on Ice Before Topuria Fight
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TMZ reported that Gaethje, 37, told the outlet last week that he wanted “Miracle on Ice” energy for the Topuria matchup. The comparison comes with Topuria heavily favored and Gaethje trying to unify the lightweight title in one of the most unusual UFC settings yet.
Eruzione told TMZ that he knew enough about Gaethje to call him “a tough, tough guy.” He said underdogs cannot start by accepting the public expectation that they are supposed to lose, pointing back to the way the 1980 U.S. hockey team approached the Soviet matchup.
The U.S. team beat the Soviet Union 4-3 in the medal round at the 1980 Winter Olympics before going on to win gold. TMZ noted that Herb Brooks coached a group of amateur and college players against a Soviet team widely viewed as one of the strongest ever assembled.
Eruzione Told Him to Embrace the Challenge
Eruzione’s message to Gaethje was direct. TMZ quoted him telling Gaethje to “go out and fight” and to “embrace the challenge.”
He also told TMZ that the underdog has to enjoy the opportunity instead of shrinking from it. The advice fits the exact framing Gaethje created for himself: an American fighter, a major betting gap, and a title fight staged at the White House.
TMZ made clear that Gaethje is not the same kind of underdog the 1980 hockey team was. Eruzione’s point was not that the two situations are identical. It was that a fighter walking into a long-odds matchup still has to believe the fight is worth taking.
Freedom 250 Is Set for the White House South Lawn
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UFC Freedom 250 is scheduled for Sunday, June 14, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C. CBS Sports lists the main card start time at 8 p.m. ET, with the event streaming on Paramount+.
Topuria vs. Gaethje headlines the card as an undisputed lightweight title fight. CBS Sports also lists Ciryl Gane vs. Alex Pereira for the interim heavyweight title, Sean O’Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi, Josh Hokit vs. Derrick Lewis, Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler, Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus, and Diego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia.
The UFC’s official event page also highlights Topuria and Gaethje as the main-event spotlight for Freedom 250.
Topuria Is the Heavy Favorite
CBS Sports reported that Topuria has knocked out three straight former champions and future Hall of Famers while winning titles in two divisions. The outlet described Gaethje as one of the sport’s most exciting fighters and noted that he upset Paddy Pimblett in his previous fight to secure the Topuria matchup.
The odds reflect the gap between champion and challenger. CBS Sports listed Topuria at -535 and Gaethje at +400, while Covers listed Topuria at -600 and Gaethje at +400 in its updated UFC Freedom 250 odds.
Eruzione’s final point to TMZ was the one Gaethje was reaching for when he mentioned Lake Placid: the favorite can be favored, the public can count out the underdog, and the game still has to be played.