Over the past few weeks, there has been plenty of back-and-forth between Justin Gaethje and Ilia Topuria. While the Spaniard accused Gaethje of tampering with his gloves during their UFC Freedom 250 bout, the American dismissed the claims as petty excuses.
Moreover, after their June 14 fight ended with Topuria “quitting” on the stool at the end of the fourth round, fans largely sided with Gaethje. However, “The Highlight” refuses to buy into the narrative that Topuria actually gave up during their fight.
In a rare show of respect, Gaethje is setting the record straight and insisting that Topuria did not quit on the stool, despite the trolls saying otherwise.
Justin Gaethje Explains Why Ilia Topuria’s Corner Stopped UFC Freedom 250 Fight
During a recent appearance on One Night with Steiny, the reigning 155lbs kingpin shared his thoughts. He said, “He didn’t quit on the stool. His body was too compromised to continue fighting. He didn’t make the call; his coaches made the call because they’re there to protect him. My coaches are in my corner to protect me in those times.”
Gaethje is right. It was actually Alexsandre Topuria who called off the fight at the end of the fourth round after seeing the damage his younger brother had taken. “El Matador” was later confirmed to have suffered two broken orbital bones, a shattered septum, and a broken foot.
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Interestingly, the interviewer also asked Gaethje if he was annoyed by Topuria’s change in stance, going from congratulating him after the fight to outright accusing him of cheating.
The American rejected that idea, pointing out how the internet era often pushes fighters to say crazy things for engagement and to build their brands. He understands that more controversy brings more attention to the fighters, which can ultimately lead to more opportunities in a business like the UFC.
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For now, Topuria and his team have been pushing for an immediate rematch with Gaethje. If Gaethje does return, though, a fight against anyone other than Arman Tsarukyan would be hard to ignore. Considering what the Armenian did to Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331, it will be interesting to see how the 155lbs title picture develops from here.
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.
