No one expected Ilia Topuria to lose his undefeated record at UFC Freedom 250 back in June. The Spaniard entered the fight as a -500 favorite to defend his lightweight title and improve to 18-0. However, Justin Gaethje had other plans. For 20 minutes, the American battered the former champion to the point that Topuria was forced to quit on his stool after four rounds.
For the unversed, Topuria suffered two broken orbital bones, a shattered septum, and a broken foot as he lost his undisputed lightweight title on June 14. Now, nearly three months after the fight, Gaethje has opened up about the flaws Topuria brought into the Octagon at the White House.
Gaethje first addressed Topuria’s unfiltered confidence ahead of the event, particularly after the Spaniard celebrated his victory before he had even stepped into the Octagon. This was something Topuria had also done before UFC 317 against Charles Oliveira. According to Gaethje, that illusion of invincibility may have worked against Topuria after he knocked out Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Oliveira in succession.
During a recent appearance on Demetrious Johnson’s YouTube channel, Gaethje said, “I’m referring to the 12 weeks before the fight, those emotional mistakes in preparation.”
He added, “And so he wasn’t prepared for what happened that night, and that’s his fault because he didn’t think that it was possible for someone to be there with him for that long or whatever it was. He forgot who he was and how dangerous this game is.”
Justin Gaethje says Ilia Topuria made “terrible emotional mistakes” leading up to their fight 😬
“He wasn’t prepared for what happened that night. That’s his fault. He didn’t think it was possible for someone to be in there with him for that long.
He forgot who he was and how dangerous this game is.”
(via @MightyMouse)
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) September 9, 2026
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The reigning 155lbs champion explained, “Every fight is so individual, and nothing matters. One of the biggest mistakes I’ve ever made is trying to replicate a perfect performance the next time, and it takes away from the moment that is this moment. And I guarantee that’s what he was trying to do. He was trying to replicate. That’s why he was having the same parties.”
Gaethje then broke down the technical flaw he noticed from Topuria during the fight, something he picked up on between the rounds. “I guess the best explanation for you to understand is his feet never change rhythms.”
He added, “He never changes rhythm with his feet. It’s always pop, pop, pop, pop, and it’s forwards or backwards. He’s very rarely moving lateral, and that’s how he fights.”
According to Gaethje, the plan was to disrupt Topuria’s predictable footwork and stop him from getting comfortable. He said, “So ultimately it’s about timing his feet and interrupting. The game plan was to interrupt his feet, especially when it’s so constant. It’s very easy to predict, and I’ve never seen him alter from that and start to move lateral and start to not be forward or backwards, in or out.”
💥👏 Justin Gaethje says he was able to time Ilia Topuria as he doesn’t move laterally and he never changes his footwork rythmn:
“His feet never change rythmn. It’s forwards or backwards, he’s very rarely moving lateral.
Ultimately it’s about timing his feet, the gameplan was to interrupt his feet.”
(via @MightyMouse) 🔹
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) September 9, 2026
Gaethje was also able to neutralize Topuria’s devastating right hand by simply lifting his left arm to block it. However, he admitted that the second and third punches in the combination were still dangerous, just like the liver shots Topuria landed in the second round that nearly finished him.
Dana White recently teased the possibility, revealing that Topuria is already ready to return and would be open to either a rematch with Gaethje or a grudge fight against Paddy Pimblett. Gaethje, meanwhile, is 2-0 in 2026 and has tripled down on his decision not to compete again this year. If he does return, a potential rematch with Topuria would likely have to wait until 2027.
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.
