Just a few days ago, Ilia Topuria penned a 4,000-word essay on his website in which the former two-division champion insisted that he would not make any excuses for his first MMA loss. However, the Spaniard now appears to be taking a different route to explain his defeat at UFC Freedom 250 in June.
For those unfamiliar with what happened, Topuria’s undefeated run came to an end on June 14 at the White House after his team refused to let him continue at the end of the fourth round. The Spaniard suffered two broken orbital bones, a shattered septum, and a broken foot as he lost his undisputed lightweight title to Justin Gaethje.
With his trainer recently revealing that Topuria will be ready to fight from February onward, the former champion took to social media to announce his return. However, he also made a rather serious accusation against Gaethje, claiming that the lightweight champion had tampered with his gloves before their fight.
In a post on X, 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.”
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. Next time I’ll make sure they check Justin’s gloves so he doesn’t put anything…
— Ilia Topuria (@Topuriailia) September 16, 2026
Topuria then said he would make sure Gaethje’s gloves are properly checked if they meet again, seemingly suggesting that something was placed inside them. He wrote, “Next time I’ll make sure they check Justin’s gloves so he doesn’t put anything weird on them. See you soon.”
In a separate message, Topuria also made his feelings toward Gaethje and his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, pretty clear. He wrote, “By the way, Justin, f*ck you. And Ali (Abdelaziz), f*ck you too.”
By the way Justin, fuck you. And Ali, fuck you too
— Ilia Topuria (@Topuriailia) September 16, 2026
It appears Topuria has bought into the ridiculous conspiracy theory that started circulating among a small section of his fanbase following the White House event. The theory claimed Gaethje had something illegal inside his gloves, or “bricks,” as the American jokingly described them because of the beating he managed to inflict on Topuria.
His coach, Trevor Wittman, already laughed off the baseless accusations during an appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience. There is no credible evidence that Gaethje tampered with his gloves, loaded his hand wraps, or did anything illegal before the fight.
No commission official or UFC representative has raised concerns about his equipment either. Perhaps it was simply the power of Gaethje’s punches that caused the damage. Unsurprisingly, Gaethje did not take kindly to the accusations. The reigning 155-pound kingpin fired back at Topuria on social media, dismissing the claim as an excuse.
He wrote, “94 days and the best you could come up with is a lame excuse. As terrible as your last performance. Do better, kid.”
94 days and the best you could come up with is a lame excuse. As terrible as your last performance. Do better kid.
— Justin Gaethje 🇺🇸 (@Justin_Gaethje) September 16, 2026
There have been rumors that the UFC could book Topuria against Gaethje immediately for a rematch. However, that isn’t the only option on the table for the former two-division champion.
Topuria also has an ongoing rivalry with Paddy Pimblett, who currently sits at No. 5 in the UFC’s official lightweight media rankings. Given his latest accusations against Gaethje, though, it wouldn’t be surprising if Topuria has his sights set on settling the score with the reigning champion when he returns to the Octagon.
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.
