Ilia Topuria Accuses Justin Gaethje of Cheating After UFC Defeat

Ilia Topuria Levels Serious Claim Against Justin Gaethje

After suffering his first career loss to Justin Gaethje in June, Ilia Topuria has spoken out with a strong accusation. The Spanish-Georgian fighter was widely expected to win at the UFC Freedom 250 event but instead faced a harsh defeat.

Topuria's fight went one-sided except for the second round. In the third, Gaethje unleashed a damaging left-right combo that left Topuria heavily bloodied. The break between rounds saw doctors suggest stopping the bout due to Topuria's injuries, but referee Marc Goddard overruled them, citing concerns about Topuria's vision.

Eventually, Topuria’s corner stopped the fight, handing Gaethje a TKO victory. Gaethje celebrated his lightweight title with a special guest: former USA President Donald Trump, who appeared at the Octagon to mark his 80th birthday and America's 250th anniversary.

Topuria left the fight with fractures around both eyes, the right side more seriously damaged. This injury raises concerns about his future vulnerability in the cage, but he’s now medically cleared to return.

Topuria’s Social Media Outburst

After months of silence on social media, the 29-year-old returned to X (formerly Twitter) to announce his readiness to fight again. Alongside gratitude to his supporters, he made a striking claim about Gaethje’s gloves during their match.

• Topuria’s statement: "Final medical tests done. I’m back. To all the clowns who’ve been talking s*** 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 weird on them. See you soon."

This accusation implies Gaethje might have tampered with his gloves, casting doubt on the fairness of the fight.

Gaethje Responds to Allegations

Gaethje replied sharply on X, mocking Topuria’s excuse and his previous performance:

"94 days and the best you could come up with is a lame excuse. As terrible as your last performance. Do better, kid."

He also addressed the claim in a video conversation with a fan, firmly denying any wrongdoing and dismissing the idea that the gloves were altered.

"People don't believe that. I've done that to everybody's face that I fought. Am I willing to [rematch him]? I just beat the s*** out of him, of course I would. That's not the way to [try and get a rematch]."

Despite this, Gaethje had previously ruled out a rematch, and this latest exchange suggests a second fight between them is unlikely. That leaves Topuria searching for a new opponent as he prepares to return to the UFC.