It seems the rivalry between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje is only getting hotter. Breaking his silence on social media, Topuria made some serious claims about his first-ever defeat at UFC Freedom 250. While he was humble immediately after the fight and promised not to make any excuses, his stance appears to have changed three months later.
Topuria took to X and accused Gaethje of cheating, suggesting that the former champion may have tampered with his gloves during their June 14 bout. He pointed to the damage he suffered during the fight, including two broken orbital bones and a shattered septum, while making the accusation.
By the way Justin, fuck you. And Ali, fuck you too
— Ilia Topuria (@Topuriailia) September 16, 2026
With his trainer recently revealing that Topuria will be ready to fight from February onward, the former champion also announced that he is now medically cleared for his next fight. He wrote, “Final medical tests done. I’m back. To all the clowns who’ve been talking shit and counting me out this whole time, here I am. Now let’s see who’s got the balls. Thanks to everyone for the support.”
He added, “Next time I’ll make sure they check Justin’s gloves so he doesn’t put anything weird on them. See you soon.” Topuria wasn’t done there. He also had some choice words for Gaethje’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz.
He wrote, “By the way, Justin, f*ck you. And Ali (Abdelaziz), f*ck you too.” Abdelaziz, however, took a more laid-back approach to the exchange, explaining that Topuria’s son, Hugo, is his friend and that he wouldn’t talk badly about his friend’s father.
The MMA manager wrote, “Welcome back, Champ. I’m glad you are ok. I’m not gonna give you the F word back because your son is my friend and I cannot say bad words to his father, tell him I said what’s up he is the man.”
Welcome back Champ, I’m glad you are ok. I’m not gonna give you the F word back because your son is my friend and I cannot say bad words to his father, tell him I said what’s up he is the man 🌹
— Ali Abdelaziz (@AliAbdelaziz00) September 16, 2026
Topuria clearly didn’t want his son dragged into the rivalry and quickly made that clear. He replied, “Don’t bring my son into this. You being his friend has nothing to do with me and you. You know exactly why I said what I said. So don’t hide behind him. Fuck you still stands.”
Abdelaziz then shifted the conversation toward the history made by Gaethje and Topuria on June 14. He also took the opportunity to tease another potential matchup, suggesting Topuria could eventually face Usman Nurmagomedov if he makes the move to the UFC.
Don’t bring my son into this . You being his friend has nothing to do with me and you. You know exactly why I said what I said. So don’t hide behind him. Fuck you still stands.
— Ilia Topuria (@Topuriailia) September 17, 2026
He wrote, “You and Justin Gaethje made history, and I truly believe you’re a special fighter. The matchup between you and Islam never happened, and that rivalry was never really end. Maybe one day you and Usman happens too. There are still so many great matchups ahead of you. Looking forward to seeing you back in the cage.”
The exchange also caught Gaethje’s attention. “The Highlight” fired back at Topuria and dismissed the glove-tampering accusation as an excuse. Interestingly, the back-and-forth also appears to have reversed Gaethje’s previous stance on an immediate rematch.
Gaethje had previously said Topuria needed to beat a top contender before getting another shot at the lightweight title. He also revealed that he wasn’t planning to fight again this year. Now, however, the former champion appears open to running it back with Topuria.
You and Justin Gaethje made history, and I truly believe you’re a special fighter. The matchup between you and Islam never happened, and that rivalry was never really
End maybe one day you and Usman happens too. There are still so many great matchups ahead of you.Looking… pic.twitter.com/NMfRIzx04U
— Ali Abdelaziz (@AliAbdelaziz00) September 17, 2026
The change in tone isn’t too surprising, especially with reports of a potential mega-rematch between the two already circulating. Dana White was also recently asked about Topuria’s return and appeared open to an immediate rematch with Gaethje or even a potential blood feud with Paddy Pimblett.
For now, the lightweight title picture remains wide open. But with Topuria medically cleared and Gaethje seemingly open to running it back, their rivalry could have another chapter waiting in the wings.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
